I Can't Get You Out Of My Mind
by Viki Carter
Summary: Draco hasn't admitted it to himself before now. He's never even realised it before now. Will he ever be able to admit to her?
1. Chapter 1-A New Day Has Come

Right, guys, I know I have 2(maybe more) unfinished stories on the go..but my exams finish next week, so I'll be able to finished them probably (if you want me too). But..for now..here is a really short chapter of a little idea? Little bit OOC I know. Let me know what you think and give me some ideas! Thankyou for reading:)

* * *

Hermione sat, cross legged in the middle of the Astronomy corridor, trying her best to finish her homework due in for tomorrow. The dark night streamed in through the windows, the dim candlelight barely illuminating the spot where the girl sat, a look of concentration etched upon her fragile face. Her brown eyes scanned the paper once more, as she subconsciously twirled a lock of her long brown hair around her finger. She didn't want to go back to the Gryffindor common room just yet, among the loud noise and celebration of the wining of the latest Quidditch match against Slytherin. As she finished her last role of parchment, she stood up and began to gather her things. She allowed the candle to burn itself out as she slowly walked down the corridor, her books held tightly across her chest. She lost herself in her thoughts of the day as she made her way down the stairs. Ron had been snogging Lavander by the fireplace before she'd left in fury. The two had been at each others side all day, his measly girlfriend cheering him on at the sidelines for the whole game. That used to be her job. It used to be her that he smiled and waved to as he cheered with the crowd. But he's never looked at Hermione the way he looks at Lavender. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted as she felt her books fall out of her arms as a figure pressed into her.

"I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed, without even registering what had happened.

"Watch where you're going Granger!" shouted that all too familiar voice that pierced through her veins whenever she heard the sharp tone. Hermione looked into Malfoy's glaring eyes, that suddenly seemed to soften as he looked at her face."Sorry, it's my fault. Here, let me." Draco's tone had completely changed to an almost alien compassion of soft and caring. The sound didn't seem right in either of their ears, and it took Draco a while to register what he had actually just said himself. The tall boy crouched down and picked up Hermione's forgotten books and parchment from the stone step. His blond her moved silkily in the breeze as he moved, the wind rippling through the soft fibers. Hermione had a strong urge to gently touch the silver strands, just to feel the touch of the well cared for hair. "Are you alright?" Only then did Hermione notice she had a small tear making its way down her pale cheek. She quickly wiped it away, and grabbed her books off Malfoy. The words came out of Draco's mouth without warning, he had no idea why he was concerned with how Granger felt, but he knew he was. A strange feeling appeared at the root of his stomach as soon as he saw that delicate little bead of water on her pale face; he didn't know what it was, but he had to fight back the urge to gently wipe it away, and hold her until she knew that she know longer needed to cry.

"Fine." She started down the stairs once more. She could hear his footsteps hurrying behind her, trying to keep up as she quickened her pace down the spiral stairs. Malfoy's hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder from behind and forced her to turn around.

"No you're not." He voice was full of concern.

"You're making me feel uneasy Malfoy; what's happened to you?" She snapped, trying to prise herself away from his grasp.

"I'm not all bad you know!" He stated harshly.

"I know." Hermione sighed, giving up on trying to squirm out of his hard grasp. "I'm sorry."

"I know."

Hermione gave him an infuriating look, "Do you always have to be so insolent?"

"It's in the blood." He smirked, enjoying how uncomfortable she looked under his glare.

"Hm." She turned her head, trying to see if there was any way she could get out of this.

"Tell me what's wrong." He said, almost luring her to tell her everything.

"Why?" She asked, there must be a reason why Malfoy, of all people, would want to know why she was upset.

"I want to help a fellow student, what more?" He loosened his grip on her shoulder as he looked into her eyes.

"I was just thinking." She avoided his gaze.

"About..." Malfoy tried to get her to open up.

"About Ronald Weasly. That's what. Now will you leave me alone." The girl turned sharply, her brown hair following after her as she headed down the stairs once more, leaving Malfoy behind her, trying not to laugh.

"Hey-" Draco called after her, running down the steep steps, trying to chase the girl.

"Leave me alone Malfoy." She snapped, not bothering to look at him.

Suddenly that knot in the bottom of his stomach was gone, and replaced with fury. How dare that little Weasle make a girl cry, not even he would do that, no matter her blood status. He didn't know what had gone on, but it was probably to do with that new girlfriend of his. It was obvious to anyone that Granger fancied the pants off him, if he only opened his eyes, that ginger little rat would see how much Hermione, for some un-be-known reason, loved him, and how much better off he would be with her. Draco gradually came to a halt half way up the spiralling steps. "He doesn't know what he's missing." He shouted down, wincing at his own words. He watched as Hermione stopped in her tracks, taking a moment for the words to settle in before she looked up at him. He waited a second, making eye contact with the confused girl, before making his way back up the staircase, smirking to himself.


	2. Chapter 2-I'm Falling Into You

A.N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update. Thankyou for all the reviews and follows, and please, keep reading:D

* * *

"Repeat after me...1 2 3, Evanesco." Professor McGonagall stated clearly, waving her wand in the correct way. In unison, every student waved their own wands as instructed, and pointed it at the small egg cup they had each been given. Sounds of wonder and amazement filled the room as the cups vanished before their eyes. Ron waved his hand in the place where it had one been, completely in ore; Harry laughed as Hermione secretly used the counter spell to make her red-headed friend's egg cup reappear, causing it to loudly smash onto the floor. The whole class burst into a roar of laughter as Ron's face turned a bright shade of pink, cursing under his breath at how the spell hadn't worked. Hermione sniggered, allowing herself to feel as though she'd got her own back for the night before.

The bell rang as the class filed out noisily, the Gryffindors taking their time to walk down to potions; it was the third lesson of the day, and the only one with their rival house, Slytherin; no one really wanted to turn up on time, or at all for that matter, but they knew Slughorn wouldn't let them get away with that one.  
"So where did you go last night?" Ron asked, turning to Hermione as they walked down the corridor. Harry gave the boy a sideways glance, as a kind of warning not to go there, but he ignored his friend and carried on, "I mean, we were looking all over for you, where were you?" Hermione knew this obviously wasn't true, the boy hasn't even noticed she'd left; he'd probably just called out her name, and when she didn't answer, that would be that.  
"Hm, I went to bed." She replied, not looking at him.  
"You missed the party, to go to bed?" He asked, surprised be her answer.  
"So it seems."

"Could have done with an early night myself. Me and Lav were up more of it, I'm so tired, but, I suppose that's what I get." He said with a yawn. Hermione just snarled the boy and, without saying a word, walked ahead, leaving the two boys.

Draco watched from behind the group, as the girl he tried to comfort last night, now turned on the boy who'd upset her so. He saw Harry give him a knowing look, but Ron didn't have the slightest idea what he'd said to offend her. God, he was so oblivious! Without knowing what he was doing, Draco quickened his pace, finally catching up with the girl as she turned a corner.  
"Hey, you alright?" He hissed, looking over his shoulder to check no one was looking.  
"Go away Malfoy." She answered without looking at him. Draco grabbed her shoulder and pushed her against a hanging tapestry. She gasped at the force, and watched with wide eyes as he lent in, covering her from view as the side of the tapestry draped around them.  
"Tell me." He hissed again, delicately removing one of her soft curls from her face, and carefully tucking it safely behind her ear. His fingertip slightly grazed her forehead, sending a soft chill to travel down her spine. She could still feel his touch after he'd dropped his hand back to his side. Hermione stayed silent, only making a sound when she saw her two best friends pass her as they walked down the corridor, Ron arm in arm with Lavender Brown.  
"Har-" she was cut off by Malfoy's cold hand being pressed firmly against her open mouth; she tried turning her head to wiggle out of his grasp, but he only pressed down on her harder. He felt her go limp underneath him, giving up on her struggle to break free. He took his hand away, willing her to speak. "I'm okay." She breathed out.  
"Thankyou." He stated.  
"Thankyou," She finished, wishing she would have said it before he reminded her to be polite, "and you?"  
"Me what?" He snarled, checking his watch.  
Hermione rolled her eyes, he was so persistent to know if she was alright, but when she asked, he didn't answer. "How are you?" She asked him, ready to leave, "you're acting very strange recently."  
"Am I?" He pondered. Yes, he was, he thought. Not normally would he be so concerned with the wellbeing of a mudblood. Did he really care? Hermione glanced down the corridor, to see Ron and Lavender having their own 'behind a tapestry meeting' but there's was a lot more...physical, and a lot less hidden. Hermione turned her head in disgust, causing Malfoy to search for what she had just witnessed. He smirked and looked back at her once he saw the boy playing tonsil-tennis with that blonde headed girl. Brown, he thought her name was. "You know, we could give him something to be jealous over." Malfoy's smirk grew wider, and Hermione noticed a small glimmer in his eye as he spoke.  
"Erm...what?" The girl looked at him, "on second thoughts, I don't want to know." She pushed her way out, banging against his shoulder as she walked back into the hallway.  
Malfoy rubbed his shoulder as he watched her leave, what on Earth had he just suggested? He followed the girl with his eyes until he started walking himself, sending Weasel a quick hex as he passed him; quickly running before he could realise he was growing an extremely large tail. It was all too easy.

The class had already begun by the time Draco walked in and took his seat, to his great relief, Slughorn was none the wiser, and had his back turned to the class as he wrote down on the black board at the front of the large room. Malfoy cast a quick glance in Granger's direction, but she was absorbed in the instructions being written down by the ageing Professor. She was leant across the desk, her chin in her hand as she quickly scribbled down notes without looking at the paper, hardly daring to miss a word.

Ron still hadn't turned up by the time the teacher had finished his instructions and told the class to get into their groups. Hermione started to get worried, Ron was never THIS late, and besides, he seemed to show at least a bit of an interest in Potions. But still, where was he? Suddenly something clicked inside her brain, and her eyes were directed straight to Malfoy. She glared through him, knowing he was responsible. Draco felt her staring at him, he turned his head slightly and saw that look of evil and menace in her eye; it suited her. She stood abruptly, scraping her wooden stool across the stone tiles as she got out of her place and marched towards the Slytherin. Before anyone could stop her, she had pulled out her wand and had it up in his face. A slight whimper escaped his lips as his face creased up in fear. She had her teeth bared with her wand digging into his neck.  
"What did you do to him?" She spat through gritted teeth, the whole class was staring at them, with Slughorn staring at then, what knowing what to do.  
"Do with who?" He squeaked out, not trying to look into her now cold eyes.  
"You know who." She pushed her wand a little more into his skin, as she pulled her arm away from Harry's grasp. She didn't know what was coming over her, Harry was still trying to drag her away, but it was no use, she wasn't moving until this evil cockroach told her what he had done with Ron. Every inch of her face was outlined with fury, Draco couldn't help but marvel at how beautiful she looked with her eyes wide and cheeks tightened up. He had to refrain himself from losing it and saying something he didn't mean.  
"Oh, your boyfriend." He smirked, turning his head towards his friends as Harry finally pulled Granger away.  
"He is not my boyfriend." She stabbed out, running back up to him and punching him squarely in the jaw. The whole room went silent apart from the slight whimper of pain coming from Malfoy, who was keeled over with blood pouring out of his nose. She ran out of the, not looking behing her until she heard the door slam shut, just as Harry was following her, giving her a head start to run and hind in the girl's bathroom.

Allowing the tears to fall, she marched into a cubicle and locked the door behind her, heaving as she sobbed with the pain of knowing she had just hurt someone for no reason. Hermione slid to the floor, her bushy hair sticking to her face as she leant against the wooden door. She whacked her hands against her legs, what did she just do?! She didn't know Malfoy had hurt Ron, she didn't know Ron was even hurt. Knowing him, he was probably up in the Common Room with his precious girlfriend.  
Hermione didn't hear the door to the bathroom open, or the sound of male footsteps getting gradually closer. There was a knock on the door she was leaning against, and Hermione automatically stopped her crying and wiped her eyes, although no one could see her.  
"I'm sorry." The boy whispered.  
Oh god, it was Malfoy.  
"Leave me alone." It was all she could say.  
"I hexed him." The words were quiet, but she heard them clear enough.  
"I knew it," She laughed coldly, "you just couldn't resist could you?" She shaked her head against the wood, making more of her thick hair fall over her eyes.  
"I guess not." The boy shrugged. Hermione heard him walk away, and then the sound of a running tap filled the almost empty room.  
Hermione stood up, and turned around, holding her breath as she gingerly unlocked the door and walked out. Draco was splashing water on his bloody nose, in an attempt to clean up the red liquid.  
"I'm sorry." The words escaped her without her control. But she meant them.  
"Don't worry about it," He shrugged, checking himself in the mirror, "however, if I'm deformed, I shall be telling my father." Hermione breathed out, and took a step closer to the boy, who was rubbing his face with a paper towel. He took a glance at her; her once angry and hysterical face had now been transformed into one of pure sadness and dismay.  
"What did you do to him?" She said at last, breaking the silence.  
"Just gave him a tail. No biggie." He smirked, catching her mouth twitch slightly in amusement.  
"Well. Don't do it again." She crossed her arms and pouted, trying to let him know where he stood, no matter how funny the image of Ron with a tail was.  
"Yeah well, I'm sorry." He shrugged again, looking in the mirror to make sure that his face was still intact.  
"Sorry for him or sorry that your perfect nose was nearly broken?" She smiled, walking towards him again.  
"Sorry that I got hit by a mud-" Draco stopped his sentence short, not wanting to say something he knew he would regret, "-girl to be honest." He smirked and turned to face her, "You're really hot when you're angry." He smirked harder, but her face dropped.  
"This, this has got to stop." She waved her hand, directing Draco's attention to the small, silver bracelet dangling on her slender wrist. "Malfoy." She snapped, waking him out of his trance.  
"Yeah, erm, sorry...what?"  
"It's got to stop." She crossed her arms once more and took a step back.  
"I was joking. Like I'd ever look at you. I was just cheering you up." He lifted his chin and looked down at her. Hermione didn't know what to say; instead she just stood and stared at the boy as he checked his shirt for any blood stains.  
"Erm, yes, I knew that." She let out finally.  
He laughed, "Sure you did. Anyway, Slughorn said you don't need to come back. And I guess I don't either. I told him I was going to Madam Pomfrey, but I decided you didn't hit hard enough."  
"I could if you want me to." She smirked, "You never told me, what was up yesterday?" she asked, suddenly remembering the conversation they had shared the previous night. The girl slid onto the wooden side, letting her legs dangle over the edge. Draco took a step towards her and lent his elbow next to her,  
"Nothing was up." He looked down at his shoes.  
"Something was. There must have been a reason for you to be going up to the Astronomy Tower at that time."  
"I was going to see Blaise in the hospital wing."  
"I don't believe you." He looked into her eyes, they screamed curiosity and wonder, he wished he could tell her how beautiful those eyes are; with the chocolate brown swirls adding a dark touch to the hazelnut core. He smiled,  
"Who does?"  
"That's not an answer."  
"Neither was that."  
She groaned and kicked her legs,  
"Tell me. I told you, it's only fair."  
"Father's gone to prison. I just wanted some air alright." He said it so nonchalantly, with no emotion in his voice, as if it were the most normal thing in the world to announce. Her face dropped as he turned away and walked towards the toilet cubicles, he crossed his arms tightly and bowed his head down, not wanting to look at her sympathy.  
"I'm sorry." She whispered.  
"Don't be," He shrugged, "it's his own fault."  
"But still." She kicked herself off from where she was perched and walked towards his back.  
"I said don't be." He snapped, spinning himself around to look at her, his face snarling, daring her to speak again.  
"Okay." She said quietly after a while, curiosity driving her insane as her head filled with questions. She opened her mouth to ask just one, but closed it again on second thoughts.  
"For being a Death Eater." He answered for her, automatically knowing what she was going to ask. He looked down at his shoes again and scraped the floor with his feet.  
"Azkaban?" She gulped, not knowing what to say. She was answered with a slight nod. Suddenly she was at Draco's side, her hand tentatively patting his shoulder. He turned his head to face her, their eyes locking, a tear welling up in the grey mist of his eyes. One blink and the bead fell down his smooth cheek. Granger turned her head away, knowing he wouldn't want her to see him crying.

"Thankyou." He said after a moment, as he wiped away the tear and sniffed down any more that feared to escape.  
"I didn't do anything."  
"You cared," He looked into her eyes again, "that's more than most."  
"I was only returning the question." Now she looked completely selfish, being upset over something as trivial as a boy; when Malfoy was going through so much worse. She was being such a girl, crying over a stupid boy that was her best friend. They would never be any more, no matter how much she wanted there to be something. He would never look at her though, not now he had Lavender. She sighed, and suddenly realised that Malfoy was watching her closely,  
"I meant what I said. You could do so much better, you don't need him."  
"I don't know." She looked back up at him,  
"You do, trust me."  
"Somehow, I don't." She smirked, but that couldn't hide the pain that had suddenly soared through Draco; but before he could answer, there was a loud shriek as a first year Ravenclaw entered the bathroom, to see a boy standing in the middle of the room.  
"I was, er, just leaving." He said, and walked towards the door, taking one last look at Hermione as he walked out.


	3. Chapter 3-Alone

Draco walked straight up to the boys dorm as soon as he entered the Common Room, ignoring the shouts from Pansy as she trailed after him. It had been a long day; he wanted to be on his own. He lay on his bed, staring up at the thick green drapes that covered the top of the four poster, allowing his mind to wander. The day had been different to say the least, that mudblood had punched him! He had a hard time convincing the others that it hadn't hurt; he'd had to fix it himself with a quick spell his father had taught him. He didn't want that girl to see what he'd done to him, for her to get the satisfaction. That girl, huh, Draco mentally shrugged, that girl that he couldn't get out of his mind ever since he'd seen her upset the night before. That girl that just happened to be the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. Draco bolted straight up, swinging his legs over the side of his bed. What had he just said?! Inside his head he was slapping himself with fury, but deep down he knew it was true. Argh, he lay back down again, he just needed to distract himself. It was just, she looked so fragile, like she would break any second, he thought as he stretched over to his bedside cabinet and switched on his small music player that suddenly filled the room with noise. He flicked a switch and soon the music could only be heard in his ears. He sighed as he threw his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes; but still, he couldn't shake the image of Hermione out of his brain. It seemed like every time he'd seen her over these past two days she had been crying. Both times over that stupid boyfriend of hers. Wait, that wasn't true, the second time was over him. Draco felt a small fuzzy feeling rise at the pit of his stomach. He rose out of bed again and sat on the edge, pushing his shoes onto his feet and grabbing the music player before he headed out of the door and down the stairs into the busy corridor, he could see people's mouths moving in his direction, but could only hear the music blasting in his ears. Before he knew it he was heading back up the steps where he had bumped into the girl last night. Why did he keep referring to her as "the girl"? The feeling in his stomach grew stronger as the image of his father came into view, the thought of him lying on the cold slabs of Azkaban, his hands chained to the walls. He had cried in front of her. Why had he let himself cry in front of her! She could use that against him; she could use everything against him. He hadn't told anyone about his father, why had he told her? The words had just slipped out before he had a chance to control them, that was his excuse; same goes for the tears, he hadn't meant to cry, he wasn't even upset. The cold air suddenly hit Draco as he stepped onto the wooden decking of the Astronomy tower. He walked forward and grasped onto the metal railing, reaching out and looking beyond to the night sky. He dug his hand into his pocket and turned off the music.  
What would his father say if he knew he had been crying? He gave a slight snort, what would he say if he knew he had made a girl cry? But she was a mudblood, he was allowed to make her cry. But deep down, he knew he didn't mean that. Deep down, he knew there was something drawing him to her. There was something there, the way her bright smile could turn instantly and she could come down in floods of tears. There was something in seeing her cry that made him want to just scoop her in his arms and let her know it was all okay, to wipe her tears and hold her until her smile was there again. But he'd never be able to touch her, he wouldn't allow himself, no matter the fact that she would never allow him to be so close. She'd made that clear enough. God, they weren't even friends, they weren't even close to that. But somehow he seemed to have forgotten their past hatred, she obviously hasn't, and quite right too, he wouldn't forgive him if he was her. But she never really had 'hated' him had she?  
Suddenly the flash of his hand moving across her face, to move that strand of hair, came into his mind. He had felt her go stiff as he touched her; seen in her eyes how she had lost her train of thought once his hand was pulled away. He smirked to himself. He hadn't even realised what he was doing until he had saw her eyes flicker away from his. There must have been something there. No, he was just thinking to deep into it.

The cold air swept tighter around him, the night gradually getting darker as Draco now sat huddled in himself, leaning against a wooden pillar. Suddenly there was a gasp from infront of him, Malfoy lifted his head to see the very girl that was occupying his thoughts. She held her wand aloft with a very faint light coming from the tip, guiding her path around the now dark school; she used her other arm to clasp a number of books across her chest.  
Hermione mumbled something under her breath and went to turn around.  
"Wait." Called Draco, extending his arm in an attempt to stop her, "it's okay. I was going to go anyway."  
"No, you stay, I don't usually come out here anyway."  
"You should. It's nice out here," He said, moving his head to look back at the night sky that lay behind him, "gives you a chance to think, away from the noise."  
"That's why I usually do my homework in the corridor," she gestured her head back, indicating the hallway as she put away her wand, "but I fancied a change, it looks like a clear night." She walked behind the boy and stood at the small barrier, looking out over the night.  
"It is." He commented, silently getting up and standing slightly behind her.  
"I hate the Common Room now a days," she addressed the sky, "too many people."  
"I know how you feel."  
There was a moments silence as the two looked out, "What homework have you got?" He pointed to the books as she finally turned around to face him.  
"Potions. Slughorn gave me extra work after out little...insistent." She gave him an apologetic look and turned to sit down next to the pillar where Draco had just been leaning.  
"Need any help?" He looked down on her, to get an expression back saying 'are you really asking it I need help' he shrugged, "it was just a question." He smirked, and sat down beside her, crossing his legs as he peered over to look at her books.  
"Lumos," Hermione took out her wand again and left it on the wooden panels of the floor, pointing it at the sheets of paper. Draco watched her for a while as she started reading the notes she had previously scribbled down. "Do you have to watch me?" She asked, without looking away from her work.  
"No," But he didn't move, causing Hermione to raise her eyebrow. "Fine." He breathed out, and turned his body around so he was facing away from her. Laughter filled the cool air as he started to crow his head round to see her.  
"Alright then, watch, but I don't see why you want to; I only have to make a step by step plan on how to make Polyjuice Potion, but I've made that so many times I don't even need this." She half-heartedly picked up the largest book to indicate what she didn't need; but Malfoy just stared at her in ore.  
"You've made Polyjuice Potion?" He asked, truly amazed.  
"Mmhm." She said, starting to write the first notes, her teeth gently biting her bottom lip as she concentrated on remembering the steps.  
"When?" Draco was honestly impressed, there weren't many potions he hasn't made, it was his fathers way of bonding with him at home, to teach him how to make all the potions; good and bad.  
"Erm, well second year mainly."  
"Wow, who too?"  
Hermione suddenly remembered how Harry and Ron had turned into Draco's best friends in order to prove he was the heir of Slytherin. She couldn't really tell him that. "I mean, who did you turn in to?" He corrected when she didn't answer.  
"Erm, well that's a complicated one. It didn't work; well, it did, but I mistook a human hair for an animals."  
Draco snorted, but attempted to striffle the second when he saw her face threatening to punch him for the second time that day. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," He held his hands up in defence, though he was still laughing, "what to?" He asked as the snorting subsided.  
"I'm not telling you." She sulked, continuing her work.  
"Bet it was a hippo or something!" He chortled, imagining the image of Granger turning into a hippo.  
"And where would I get a hippo hair from may I ask?"  
Draco shrugged, "I dunno, rat then? Weasel has one of them doesn't he?"  
"Hmm, he did have. If you must know, it was a cat. It didn't work, obviously, I only had a tail and was coughing up fair balls all day. But it worked on Ron and Harry."  
Draco was in a fit of giggles, the thought of this girl who sat in front of now being half cat was just too much. Hermione gently hit him on his leg, laughing along with him as his laughter caught onto her, "it's not funny!" She shrieked as he started rolling on the floor, clutching his side.  
"Yes it is!"  
"Shh you'll wake up the whole castle!" Draco managed to control himself enough to be able to sit up and continue watching as Hermione copied the potion from the book.  
"That's cheating." He stated, knowing she would, of course, get away with it.  
"It's only a punishment, I'd never normally copy!" She quickly announced in her own defense.  
"I'm only joking." He smiled, watching as her pale tongue gently appeared at the corner of her mouth as she concentrated. Malfoy suddenly remembered the music box, and switched it on so it played out loud, but turned to sound low, for Hermione's sake.

Minutes passed, Draco was absorbed in watching the girl bend her body over her paper to write down the next step after she had read the passage in the book. She kept having to push chunks of her wild hair back over her ear when it repeatedly swung into her view, blocking her bisipn. Eventually, she got frustrated and tied it up in a messy bun, strands of loose hair, too small to go up, falling gently over the side of her face. She was honestly stunning; Draco couldn't help but be in a kind of trance watching her. That's when he noticed that small bracelet again, it swung without control every time she moved her arm; he followed its movement for a while, until he moved his gaze to eye her up and down. She was perfect in every way.  
"I've been thinking." Draco said, breaking the silence that lay between them.  
"That's nice." She answered, tucking yet another strand of her insufferable hair behind her ear.  
"Don't you want to know what about?"  
"Tell me in a minute Malfoy." She said over the music which had switched into a fast song which seemed to increase the volume. The silence was held in the air yet again, as Draco stood and walked over to the balcony and looked out, getting lost in his thoughts as a slower song came into the room. Was he just about to tell her what he thought about her? Would he really do that to himself? He tried to shake it away. But as soon as he drifted his thoughts to another subject, Hermione stood up in triumph and asked him what he had been thinking about. His mouth opened to answer, but the words couldn't come out; the words he had wanted to tell her, to tell her how beautiful she was, to tell her how she had some sort of spell on him, how he wanted to ask her out. But he just couldn't say them. Suddenly that image of his father swam into his brain again. He turned and looked at her, at her smiling face, at her plump lips that had a small bite indent in them; he couldn't describe how bad he wanted to just run up and kiss those lips, to run his hand through her mass of hair and gently caress her perfect cheek. He wanted to kiss her until there was no air left in him, no fight left to leave her lips, no love left to give. But he couldn't.  
"Nothing." He snarled bluntly and marched out of the tower, leaving Hermione to watch after him, wondering what she had done wrong.

As soon as Draco was out of the tower, he wanted to turn back around and tell her. But he couldn't; that wasn't the Malfoy way, 'never look back' that's what he had grown up with. That and to hate all muggles; and muggle-borns for that matter. But had he just broken that rule? No, of course not, breaking the rule would mean loving a mudblood, and he certainly didn't do that. Sure, he thought of her fondly and fantasied about kissing her; but he'd never love her. But he'd just left her there, all alone, not knowing why on earth he had just been horrible to her, after they had managed to put their differences aside. God, he didn't even think. He couldn't do it; shaking his head, he turned back around.

Draco's music box was still playing music into the night as Hermione looked out beyond the moon; what had she said? She was full of questions and fury, he was so...so infuriating! They were getting on for once! But he was Draco Malfoy; they never got on. The thing was, Hermione was starting to warm to him, he was quite nice on his own, without any other Slytherins to impress. He'd greatly matured since first year, that's for sure. He had actually got over his muggle-born hatred it seemed. He obviously had a lot on his plate, it was sad really, he was going through a lot to be so calm about it. Though he didn't admit it, she knew he was upset about his father, he had seen him crying over it hadn't she? Her heart suddenly warmed, Malfoy seemed like one of those people who would never cry, especially not in front of someone. She'd seen a whole different side to him these past two days.  
Suddenly a muggle song came on, one of Céline Dion's she believed, wow, it didn't seem like Draco to have this on his stereo. Wait until the others hear about this she smiled wickedly. She wouldn't do that to him, she knew that, but it would be hilarious to see all the year's faces to know that the school bully had a soppy love song on his personal player. She started actually listening to the words as the chorus came in;  
_"Till now, I always got by on my own, I never really cared until I met you."_ But it wasn't the singers' voice she heard; it was soft and raspy, and sounding much more live. She gave a quick spin to see Draco standing in the door way. She smiled, staring at him, somehow, she was glad he had come back. _"You don't know how long I've wanted to touch your lips and hold you tight, no, you don't know how long I have waited and I was gonna tell you tonight."_ He sung to her, walking towards the girl. He took her hand in his, making her gasp at his touch.  
"Malfoy?" She said wearily.  
"Come out with me? Next Saturday?" He asked, looking into her eyes for confirmation as he gently stroked her hand with his thumb.  
"W-wha-" her gaze flickered to her hand which was intangled in Draco's.  
Before he knew what he was doing, suddenly Malfoy's lips were on hers, it wasn't forceful, but it caught her by surprise, she pushed him away, making him lose his balance and fall to the floor as she ran from the room.

Draco picked himself up slowly and banged his head against the wooden frame in anger. Why was he so stupid? Why had he let that stupid girl get into his head? He angrily grabbed the music player and switched it off, the soft music whirling inside his brain. He stood, motionless, his head leaning against the pillar as he shouted curses at himself.

Hermione didn't look back until she had reached the staircase, she didn't know if she was expecting him to follow her, but she seemed to be disappointed when she couldn't see any sign of the boy who had just tried to kiss her. She brought her fingers up to her lips, feeling the touch of were Draco's soft mouth had just been. She wasn't expecting that one. As she walked down the stairs, her chest heaving and heart running fast, she relived in her mind him singing, the words he had sung suddenly made sense. Of course it was a song, but it seemed fate had brought that song on at that moment. But she didn't believe in fate. Had he really changed? Since yesterday, did he now care? Care about her, or care about life? No, this was Draco Malfoy for Merlin's sake. The same Draco Malfoy that she had seen crying. The same Draco Malfoy that had Céline Dion on his playlist. The same Draco Malfoy that had just tried to kiss her.


	4. Chapter 4-That's The Way It Is

A.N: wrote this chapter while in the gym, so apologies if something doesn't quite fit or for any spelling/grammar mistakes!

* * *

Draco didn't see Hermione alone for any of the days to follow, the week passed and they hasn't had one lesson together; granted, they never usually had any lessons together on these days, but it seemed to now matter, to Draco at least. Hermione had gone out of her way to avoid being in any of the places Malfoy was, too embarrassed and confused to make conversation with him. She stayed in the library at free time and walked in a huddle in corridors, so he couldn't talk to her even if he did see her. Of course, she hadn't told anyone about the kiss, she hadn't told anyone that they were even on civil terms for that matter. But there was something inside her that wanted to scream it to the whole world, to let everyone know that the famous Slytherin wanted her, a stupid muggle-born! But did he really? Really want her, that is? Like she said, she was just a stupid muggle-born. Oh, what did she care? It's not like she wanted him.

Draco blamed himself, how could he have been so stupid as to kiss her? One moment of weakness and he was caught out. Did he really expect her to kiss him back? For her to feel a connection and feel the way he did for her? But Draco didn't even know how he felt for her. All he knew is that his mind was playing tricks in him; his world became a blur whenever he was alone with her, like it was just a dream. Every time he thought back to the kiss, all he could remember was going back to apologise for turning on her, and then suddenly he had been pushed to the floor. He needed to see her again; he needed to say sorry for kissing her. There was another Malfoy rule he was breaking, never apologise. But there was something about Granger that made him want to break every single rule in the entire world. He needed her; he just didn't know it yet.

It was now Sunday, and Draco was walking through the school, his music playing loud in his ears as he strolled by himself. He was in a good mood, his mother had sent an owl to ask him to come and see her the next Saturday, and had given him another mountain of sweets to last him until next term. He may not have had a happy childhood, but his mother tried her best to please him in the only way she knew how. And let's be honest, it worked, waking up to a pile of sweets every other week was a boys dream; no matter how old he was. He still hadn't seen Granger, he had been planning to ask her out, maybe just to accompany him on the next Hogsmeade visit, which was next week, but he still had a nagging feeling she would say no. He had asked her to go out with him before, she hasn't answered though, and then he'd gone and ruined it by forcing himself on her. And now she was trying her best to avoid him. There was no way on Earth she would agree to a date. The music changed pace and shuffled onto a slow song; why did it seem that Céline Dion always came on when he was thinking of her? He had to convince her that he wasn't just some stuck up git that wanted to kiss her; well, effectively, he was, but he wasn't going to let her know that. It wasn't 'love' he snorted out loud, he just fancied her, and fancied having her mouth around his. A shiver ran down his back at the thought. Leaning against a near wall, with his foot rested behind in on the stone bricks of the castle, he let himself listen to the song, the words warming up his insides as he smiled to himself.

That's when he saw her, he had only been standing still a couple of moments before the brown headed girl came walking in his direction, dressed in simple jeans and a hoodie, she had her head down and her hands in her pockets. Draco turned the music off and walked towards her. She didn't see him until he was directly in front of her, his shoes blocking her path. Hermione didn't see his face, but somehow, she knew it was him. She couldn't do anything, she couldn't ignore him; rolling her eyes, she looked up at his smirking face.  
"Leave me alone Malfoy." She sighed, Draco could see her eyes slightly moist over as tears threatened to spill out again.  
"I wanted to apologise."  
Her stomach knotted, she could tell in his eyes that he wasn't lying. She knew there was a real goodness in him, buried deep down just waiting to come out; a goodness that couldn't be explained, only seen in his eyes. Sighing, she admitted she knew he was, and apologised for pushing him.  
"There's nothing for you to be sorry for!" He said in a hushed voice, taking her hand in his to lead her out of the middle of the hallway and near a wall. "It's my fault, I honestly don't know what came over me."  
"It's okay," She shrugged, "I just wasn't expecting it."  
"Me neither," He smirked, "friends?" He questioned, lifting an eyebrow as he held out his hand.  
Hermione thought for a while before saying anything, did he really want to be 'friends'? They were never friends really. But it was true she had forgiven him for kissing her; it could have been a lot worse, and it wasn't a forceful 'let me get my tongue down your throat' kiss, it was soft and genuine and...loving? She shaked the thought off,  
"As good as we can be." She shook his outstretched hand with a smile.  
"Where you off to?" He asked as they walked down the corridor together, Draco with a small spring in his step.  
"I was just going to hand in the assignment Slughorn gave me." She said, waving the piece of paper in her hand.  
"I thought that was in for Wednesday?"  
"It was, I gave it in but he gave me another to do for today, turns out I missed off the last step." She shrugged with a small smile.  
"Oh." It was he could say. It was probably his fault, he must have distracted her, but he could hardly remember anything from that night, "I'll come with you if you want?" He asked, still walking beside her.  
"You sure? It's not a very exciting job."  
"What else are friends for?" He smirked.  
"You're being very strange recently Malfoy, I can't quite put my finger on it, but you're just not you...okay, that makes no sense, but you know what I mean."  
"No, I don't Granger." He shrugged and peered down at her, she was only a few inches smaller than him, but there was enough distance for him to look down at her. He closed his eyes momentarily, he did know what she meant, it was true, hadn't been the same since his father was sent to prison.  
"You do don't you? You know you've been acting differently." The girl questioned, interrupting him thoughts. She stopped and turned to look at him.  
Draco shrugged, "Yeah, I guess. I think since, yanno, father went away-" he looked around the corridor, he didn't know what he was looking for, but he felt like he was being watched. Moving Hermione on by her elbow, he carried on "I think it's just because I know he's not here to stop me being...nice. He can't touch me now. I can't be punished for breaking the Malfoy way." He stopped again and looked at her, a smirk spread across his face; but Hermione was starting to feel a lot more uneasy about the situation, had he just admitted to his father bullying him?  
"That's the first time you've thought about it isn't it?" she asked, reading his thoughts.  
He gave a slight nod; it was spooky how well this girl knew him. He wouldn't be surprised if she knew him better than he knew himself. They'd only been properly talking what, two days, granted, they'd had a four day gap prior, but it still didn't seem like long enough to Draco. "I can see how you would now be nice, now that he isn't here to put silly ideas into your head." She said as they carried on walking towards Slughorn's office.

They were there in no time at all, keeping each other company through the long corridors as they talked about this and that. Hermione knocked on the door to the office, to get a response of Slughorn's eyes popping through the little slit in the door.  
"Ah, Granger, you have your homework I presume?" He said through the other side of the door.  
"Yes sir." She said, a little uneasily.  
Slughorn opened the door and let the two students in; they stood just a little way into the large room, not wanting to get sucked into a conversation.  
"Well I'm glad to see you two have put your differences aside." Stated the professor, as he took the work off Hermione, he switched his gaze between the two students as he shuffled around the room.  
"Yes, well, thankyou sir." Hermione said, beginning to leave the room.  
"This best be completed this time." Slughorn shouted after her, waving the scrap of parchment in his hand. Draco smiled at the professor as he held the door open for Hermione as she walked out.  
"That was a close one." Draco said, rolling his eyes as he escorted her out towards the courtyard.  
"Tell me about it, we were nearly in for an hour long lecture."  
They were both exaggerating, of course, but the two laughed in agreement as they sat down on a bench outside, the cool air breathing around them.

"So have you heard anything from your father?" She asked seriously, turning herself to look into his steel grey eyes.  
"No, he's not allowed to contact anyone." He said, trying to avoid her stare on such a risky subject.  
She didn't press him anymore about his father, seeing how uncomfortable the topic obviously made him. They were silent for a while, until Draco finally dared himself to ask a question that had been playing on his mind for a while;  
"Do you still like that Weasel one?"  
"You mean Ron?" She said, looking at him, trying to analyse his intentions, but couldn't see anything malicious in the question, "I don't know really, I've grown to the fact that he will never like me," she shrugged, "It upset me when he got with Lavender, but now I know for definite. That he'll never like me, that is." She looked at the ground, embarrassed by the subject.  
Draco nodded, seeing her frown a little he piped up, "You can do better than him, if he can't see how much of a nice person you are, and can't see how badly you've wanted him for years, then he's missing out."  
Hermione looked back to Draco, his eyes were burning through hers, searching through the colour to find a hint of confidence. And for the first time in her life, she felt like she believed him. Maybe Ron wasn't right for her, they were complete opposites, and they were always at each other's throats whenever they had time. Hermione sighed, continuing to look beyond Draco and out towards the hallway that could be seen through the stone at the opposite end of the courtyard. "You absolutely promise you won't hex him again?" She looked back at Draco.  
"If he doesn't hurt you again I won't." He said, with a slightly menacing tone. "Do you fancy going somewhere more private?" Draco asked, glancing around.  
"Worried a Slytherin might see you talking to a mudblood?" She sneered as she watched him look around.  
"Do you really fancy Potter coming around the corner to say hello?" He replied.  
Hermione agreed and stood up, Draco following shortly behind her as she led the way to the Astronomy tower.

"This seems to be our secret hide out now." Exclaimed Malfoy as they reached the top of the many spiralling steps leading up to the corridor that branched off to the hospital wing.  
She laughed and gave him a beaming smile, "I am grateful you know, for Monday night; for you to not just walk past me or make things worse by shouting insults at me. You were there when I needed someone and I'm thankful for that." She inched forward and gave him a hug, catching him off guard as he placed his arms around her, carefully tapping her shoulder. After a split second, she took herself out of the embrace and continued to walk down the short path that led to the main Astronomy tower. It took Draco a while to orientate himself again, blinking after her as he gently uncreased his black suit and continued to follow her. He'd never had that kind of embrace before, maybe a slight hug from his mother, or an arm around him from father, but they were always cold with no meaning behind them. But that, that embrace screamed care and warmth, a genuine gratitude of thanks. He smirked slightly to himself as he watched the girl turn to wait for him.  
"Should we go up?" He asked when he reached her at the foot of the wooden panels of the tower, pointing slightly to the roof; which was the floor for the next level. The girl shrugged and began to climb the steps up to the room above them.  
"This is more like it." She said, sitting cross legged on the wooden floor.  
"A lot less people staring." He agreed as he looked out to the lit sky.  
"I hate that." She stated clearly, "People thinking it's weird that a Gryffindor and Slytherin can be friends."  
"Because they just can't." He answered, staring at the view below them. She raised an eyebrow at him, "Who cares what anyone else thinks?" He said with a sigh as he sat down opposite her. "So how have you been?" He asked.  
"Good thanks, you?"  
"Same." He answered, suddenly remembering the small portion of sweets he had in his pocket, and retrieved them from deep inside his blazer. He was rummaging for a while, taking out all sorts from his small music player, which looked far too big to fit unnoticed in the small pocket, to a vial of a strange potion Hermione didn't recognise. Eventually, after many objects other than what he was looking for were spread in front of him, he pulled out a large bag of sweets, which he threw in Hermione's direction. Smiling, he placed the scattered objects back in his pockets.  
"H-How?" Hermione said, pointing at his pockets; switching her gaze between the contents and the actual pocket.  
"Undetectable extension charm. It's a tricky spell, but it worked well enough," He smirked, taking a crystallised pineapple out of the bag that sat on Hermione's lap. Hermione herself lifted out a Treacle Fudge from the stripped sweet bag and began nibbling at the sides, looking impressed that Malfoy knew such an advanced spell. "You're not the only one who can do advanced magic you know " He grinned, reading her thoughts.  
"Oh aren't I?" She drawled in a mock tone, smiling at the hidden compliment.  
"No, as it happens." He smirked, looking up at her as he bent forward and pulled the bag towards him. He looked into the bag, cocking his eyebrow as he shook the contents from side, eventually deciding on taking a handful of Fizzing Wizzbees out of their packet, offering Hermione the rest.  
"Ron loves these." She stated, popping one into her mouth, leaving the block of fudge by her side.  
"Bet he wishes he could afford all this junk." He said under his breath.  
"Pardon?" She asked looking up at him, not catching what he had said.  
"Oh, just said that I like these ones too," But she didn't believe him, but didn't want to dwell on it, and simply agreed with him. "Ooo these are my favourite!" Hermione exclaimed after a while, brandishing a Chocoball from the never ending bag.  
"Mine too! " Draco announced, grabbing the bag to find one for himself. They both smirked at each other, licking the strawberry mousse from around the edge before sinking their teeth into the chocolate.  
"These are from Fred and George's shop! " Hermione said excitedly through a mouthful of cream, as she picked out a small bag of Sugar Hexes.  
"Steady on!" He smiled jokingly, watching her as she explored the contents of the heavy bag; one of many that his mother had sent him over the course of the month. She simply gave him a mock look of annoyance, wiping a small smudge of the thick cream that had rubbed off on her lower lip. Draco stared at her without even realising he was, his heart glowing a little inside of him as she smiled, her teeth lighting up the room. "Hermione, I-" he didn't really know what to say, he just couldn't find the words, but he knew they needed to be said, "-I was wondering if you would-" But his question was rudely interrupted by the loud school bell, ringing in their ears as it signalled the time of day.  
"Is it lunch already?" Hermione asked, forgetting that he was speaking.  
"Are you hungry?" he wondered, looking down at the pile of empty sweet wrappers with a raised eyebrow.  
"Not really, but." She shrugged, picking up the now slightly less heavy bag of sweets, and handed them back to Draco. "What were you saying before?" she asked sweetly, as they walked down the small steps down to the main floor of the tower.  
"Nothing important." He replied, wishing he could just find the right words to ask her.  
"Tell me. " She pressed, spinning around at the foot of the steps to wait for him as he stepped down next to her.  
It was now or never. They continued walking along the corridor, neither of them looking at each other as they focused on the path. "Well, I suppose I was just wondering if you wanted to come to Hogsmeade with me on Saturday? I mean, you don't have to, it's just that I was going to go anyway because my mum asked me to go home for the weekend, so it would only be for a couple of hou- what's wrong?" He stopped his fast drawl and turned to face Hermione, who was looking very troubled, "argh, I'm so stupid, I knew this was a mistake!" He spat out angrily, mentally kicking himself as he continued walking at a quicker pace.  
"Draco!" Hermione called after him, making him stop dead in his tracks. His name sounded so pure in her voice, it was the first time she's really said his name and meant it, not in a sharp or angry way, but in a simple gesture. It felt weird in a good way, like it somehow belonged in her mouth. "I said I'd go with Harry, I'm really sorry." She looked genuinely upset, hanging her head in shame at the fact that she knew it would probably upset him to hear that, but it was the truth.  
"It's okay." He smiled, waiting for her as she started to walk slowly towards him. At that moment, he felt like his heart had just shattered into a million pieces. But there was no way he was giving up.


	5. Chapter 5-Taking Chances

A.N: I hated this chapter almost as much as the last one, so I'm sorry it's short

* * *

"Hermione, where have you been all morning?" Ginny squealed Hermione sat down at the table opposite the red-head.  
"Oh, nowhere important, I was just giving in home-" Hermione flushed a little, making Ginny grab onto Harry's arm and squeal in excitement,  
"You were with a boy!"  
"What?" Said Harry, turning his full attention to Hermione.  
"I never said that!" She protested,  
but Ginny wouldn't hear it, "Who's the lucky guy?" She asked, in a slightly more hushed voice.  
"There is no guy!" Hermione's eyes flicked to Draco, as she watched him sit down, in full conversation with Pansy Parkinson. Ginny turned her head to see what, or who, her friend was looking at. The Weasley gave a faint shriek and turned back to Hermione, eyes ablaze,  
"Tell me it's not him!"  
"Nothing is going on!"  
"Oh my Merlin! You're going out with Draco Malfoy!" Ginny almost shouted in horror, nearby heads turned to look at Hermione, whose face had gone a deep shade of pink.  
"I am not going out with him!" Hermione told the staring faces.  
Harry had just spat out his juice as the words finally hit him, his best friend was going out with...no, that couldn't be true? "Hermione?" Harry questioned.  
"Nothing is going on. We're just...mates?" She wondered whether that was the right word, she had no idea what they were any more.  
"Don't tell Ron." Harry warned, knowing Ron's temperament.  
"I wasn't planning on." Hermione sulked a little, upset that she couldn't keep anything a secret any more.  
"So, are you going out with him?" Ginny asked, moving herself closer to Hermione by leaning across the table, over her plate of food.  
"Well he asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him on Saturday, but I said I was going with Harry." Ginny's face fell in horror as she looked at Harry.  
"Oh, er, about that, I said I would go with Ginny, is that okay?" Harry stumbled out, feeling incredibly awkward that he hadn't cancelled his plans with Hermione before asking his girlfriend.  
"It's fine." Hermione breathed, smiling at the pair.  
"What's fine?" Asked Ron as he sat down beside her.  
"Oh, Harry was just saying he was busy on Saturday." She replied, giving daggers to the two in front of her, as a warning not to say anything about Malfoy.  
"I can't go either sorry," Ron added through a mouthful of sausage, "me and Lav are going out." He wiggled his eyebrows at Harry, causing Ginny to grimace at the thought of her brother and Lavender Brown 'going out'; Hermione had to admit, she was a bit put off her food as well.  
"Ron, do you have to?" She asked in disgust, turning to him. But she didn't catch his reply, her eyes were suddenly fixed on Malfoy, as Pansy planted a kiss on his cheek. Some sort of jealousy poured through her, threatening to overspill into another bout of tears, until she saw Draco stand up in disgust, marching away from her. Hermione couldn't help but give a faint smile as she turned her attention back to Ron.  
"…you okay 'Mione?" He asked, looking at her,  
she looked dazed for a second, before replying, "yeah, I'm fine."

Draco jumped up from his seat as Pansy made contact with his face, he didn't know what was happening until he felt her lips brush his cheek. Blinking slightly, he walked down the table and joined Blaise, without even looking back at the sulking Pansy. His eyes caught hold off Hermione as he sat down beside his friend, she was talking to Weasley, but she didn't seem very interested. He smirked to himself, she really was beautiful, he just wished she could see that. He didn't even know what to think when she wasn't talking to him, his insides turned to mush whenever he remembered that he was the one that upset her, he had kept thinking about how he was going to apologise, but it hadn't come out the way he had planned; but either way, they seemed to be on speaking turns again. He wished she would be able to realise that there was more to him than a bully with a death-eater for a father. He didn't really hate muggle-borns, or anyone else for that matter, he was brought up with a different lifestyle to her, and she may never understand what that was like for him. For some reason, unbeknown to him, he knew he wanted her to understand. He felt like he wanted her to make it all seem okay, like his childhood was a thing of the past, and that he would never have to think of it again. But there was no way that was going to happen. She still hated him, okay, they were at least being civil with one another, but Draco knew Ron would always be the one for her, wouldn't he? Deep down there would always be some hatred between them, it pained Draco to admit it, but he wished more than anything there wasn't. For some reason, as he sat there with a bowl of soup, dipping in the butted loaf and bringing it to him lips, he realised something he had never realised before, it suddenly struck him that there was never any hatred towards her from him, he had never hated _her_, she was always the one that made the situation better, he would never hurt her. He couldn't help but show a confused and dazed expression on his face as it suddenly hit him, he had always had feelings for her; but only now were they starting to show.

Hermione continued picking at the pie that lay in front of her, drifting in and out of conversations going on around her, while her mind floated elsewhere. She couldn't help but think of Draco, had he really changed? Was she prepared to risk her feelings for him? She hardly knew anything about him, she knew nothing of his past, and as far as she could tell, he had no future figured out. There was something about him that made her want to know the mystery lying behind his eyes, she wanted to put together the puzzle that was Draco Malfoy, and she wanted to pick up the pieces and rebuild him. There was something in him, she knew it, there was a soft, caring boy lying behind that shell. He's let that mask slip, but not enough, he was still hidden. Her stomach fuzzed up whenever she thought about him. The way he talked to her, it wasn't the way he talked to other people. Did he really like her? He hadn't told her. Did she like him? Of course she didn't, did she? She despised him only two weeks ago, but a lot can happen in a week. Maybe this has gone fast. But there must be something pulling her towards him.

Dessert came and went, with the students picking out bits of snacks and fruit as they finished off conversations. Ron was the first to leave out of the group, with Lavender pulling him out of the hall before he could finish eating his pumpkin tart. Harry and Ginny left together, whispering in a hurried conversation, looking back at Hermione, who was talking to Neville. Hermione left when her conversation with Longbottom about Mimbulus Mimbletonia plants subsided, she walked out with her head down as she clung onto a green apple, which she intended to keep for later.

Draco managed to look up and see her walking out of the hall, without even thinking, he got out of his seat and started heading in her direction. He quickened his pace, not wanting to miss her.  
"Granger!" he called after her, she turned around to see him following her, why did he always seem to be there? "What do you say to taking chances?" He smiled as he finally caught up with her, lowering his voice so nobody around them could hear their discussion.  
"I'd say what are you on about Malfoy?"  
"Look, just come out with me, just once?"  
The girl nodded; there was no way he was giving up.


	6. Chapter 6-I'm Alive

"I've got to meet my mum at six, is that okay?" Malfoy asked on Saturday afternoon, after meeting Hermione at the bottom of the clock tower, and giving her a slightly awkward hug.  
"Is she coming here?" The girl asked, as they began to make their way down to the small village.  
"No, I'm getting the train down, coming back Sunday night." He said gruffly as they walked out of the school.  
"I didn't know you could do that?" Hermione wondered aloud.  
"Well, with father away, mother gave a special request into Snape,"  
Hermione nodded, it must be hard on Mrs Malfoy, she had never met her, but she believed she would have doted on her husband. "It's tough on her," Draco stated, reading thoughts, "but she'll get through it." He nodded to himself, knowing his mother better than anyone. Hermione reached over and have his arm a little squeeze of reassurance, to which he gave a faint smile in reply.  
The two stayed silent until they reached the village,  
"I don't know about you but I'm starving!" Hermione announced with a sigh.  
"Didn't you have lunch?" He quizzed, to get a response of a shake of her head. Lunch was only an hour ago, but Hermione was up in her dorm trying on outfits; eventually, she had decided on a simple white collared shirt and jeans which buttoned up to her waist. She had been putting last minute touches to her hair and makeup when Ginny burst through the door, marvelling at her. The girl had sneakily promised that she would come and check up on the two, just to make sure he hadn't jinxed her, but Hermione wasn't having any of it. "Well, I've eaten, but is there any where you fancy?"  
"I have no idea." Hermione stated truthfully, looking around the open shops.  
"There's The Three Broomsticks?"  
"Sure." Hermione replied with a smile. She led the way to the large Inn, dodging past the mass of people that seemed to throng the streets more than usual today. But when they reached the entrance, they walked in with the rather nasty welcome of,  
"No students allowed in today!" From all three of the shrunken heads that hung from the doorway.  
"Anywhere else?" Draco asked, rather miffed at the unwelcome response they received.  
"The Hogs Head?" Hermione let out a sigh, shrugging her shoulders, not being able to think of anywhere else.  
"Ew, no. We're not going to that place," Hermione gave him a stern look, he changed his tone, "do they even sell food?"  
"Probably not." She agreed. The two stood for a moment, just outside The Three Broomsticks, both trying to think of somewhere that sold food; that wasn't Honeydukes.  
"I know!" Draco called, walking on, leading the way.  
"Where are we going?" Hermione called from behind him, getting held up behind an old couple that passed in front of her.  
Draco led them down the main high street of the village, and then turned down a side road, before stopping outside a rather old looking Tea-Shop decorated in peeling red paint and steamed windows, which mistily showed the inside of the cafe.  
"Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop," Hermione smiled, reading the faint gold lettering that stood above the door, "Harry told me about this place."  
The door opened with a cheery ring of a bell, announcing that they had arrived; a few heads turned their way, but didn't take much notice of the unlikely couple, much to both Draco and Hermione's relief.  
Malfoy led the girl over to a round table, decorated with frilly napkins and a large vase that held a single yellow dandelion.  
"What would you like?" Draco asked the girl, as she peered at the stack of cakes at the counter.  
They walked over and searched the small fridge that laid out a variety of sandwiches and cool drinks. Draco picked up a small bottle of Lemon juice, while Hermione tentatively chose a Treacle, Chicken and Herb Wrap. They reached the counter, where Hermione placed her food and asked the small plump woman for a cup of strong tea.  
"3 sickles, 2 knuts please." Chorused the woman as Hermione reached for her purse. But before She had a chance to retrieve the money from her bag, Draco had handed the cashier the correct change. After paying for his own, the two returned to the table.  
"At least I've kind of bought you lunch." He smiled.  
"You didn't have to." She said as a reply, but her heart warmed.  
"I know." He smirked, opening his drink.  
"Thankyou," She smiled, and began to open the packet, which contained the strange flavoured wrap, "I hope this is nice now."  
"Why did you get that one?" He laughed, watching her vulgar expression change to one of delight as she sunk her teeth in.  
Draco cocked an eye brow as she nodded, "It's actually quite nice," she added when she finished swallowing her mouthful, "and I didn't really fancy pickled sardines with marmalade." She laughed, seeing his own face change to one of disgust.  
They sat silently for a while, Hermione eating the last of her wrap. She occasionally looked at him, analysing his appearance. He seemed to have his hair delicately gelled up, so it kind of stood to the side. He had ditched his usually black suit for dark jeans and a smart dark green shirt, which outlined his eyes perfectly.

"What do you want to do today?" Draco asked, looking at his watch, breaking the silence around them.  
"I don't mind, I suppose we could go shopping? But I don't need anything," Draco shook his head in agreement, "we could always just sit somewhere?"  
"Fine by me." He nodded, watching her eyes flicker and dance like a candle as she thought of the possibilities available.  
"Alright." She added with a smile before taking a sip if her still hot tea.  
"I've never had tea." Draco said, somewhat glumly. Hermione nearly spat out the mouthful she had just taken, and had to gulp it down fast, the heat burning down her throat.  
"You've never had tea!" She gasped in a half shout, half whispered tone.  
Draco shook his head, "It's mother's favourite thing, and I'm not allowed to touch it." He said casually as he sunk a little further into the chair.  
"Have some of mine?" She said, passing over the cup and saucer to the other side of the table, "you haven't lived! It's a little hot now, but there's no sugar in it." She gave a slight smile, encouraging him to the new adventure, which he seemed reluctant to try. With some more reassurance from Hermione's part, Draco finally had the nerve to lift the china cup to his lips. He smiled as he swallowed the warm liquid, "It's alright," He told her, his eyes almost lighting up at the fact he had finally tried something that was forbidden to him at home, "don't know what all the fuss is about though." He shrugged.  
Hermione gave a mock gasp, and clapped her hand to her mouth. The two laughed, smiling as they continued talking about home life,  
"Do you have any siblings?" Hermione asked, curious.  
"Nope," He shook his head, "you?" He asked, cocking his eyebrow slightly as he took a swig of his Lemon juice.  
"No." Hermione said quietly, a small frown on her face.  
"Never wanted any myself." He added, putting his bottle back on the table in front of him.  
"Siblings?"  
"Nope, He said, shaking his head, "it wouldn't be fair. I mean, I wasn't happy, I wouldn't want someone else to have that aswell." He was staring at the bottle in front of him, using his fingers to pick off the paper label.  
"I'm sorry." Hermione said, in barely a whisper, a lump sticking to her throat.  
"Don't be." He chirped up, sitting up in his seat.  
"Well, that's very selfless of you." She gave a weak smile, and forced herself to look into his eyes.  
"It's the truth."  
She gave a slight smile, signalling to him that she understood, it really was a brave thing for him to think that.  
The talk turned to school, the two listing their subjects and explaining why, or why not, they absolutely hated them.

"Should we go?" She said, taking a glance at Draco's watch, saying the time was now 4 o'clock, they had been here 2 hours, where had the time gone?  
"We've got two hours to kill." He said, standing up and grabbing his grey leather jacket that he had slumped over the back of the chair.  
They walked out of the little shop and into the cold air, Draco leading the way again as they strolled along the village.  
It didn't take them too long to walk to the station, which was situated right at the end of the village, but still long enough for them both to want a sit down.  
"Are you not cold?" Draco asked as they walked down a cobbled street opposite the station.  
"I'm fine." She said, digging her hands further in her pockets. Draco wasn't convinced, and kept looking at her sceptically, wondering whether he should give her his jacket.  
"Where's your coat?" He asked her as they sat on a bench, just outside of the station.  
"I was going to bring one but I completely forgot, " She said truthfully, a small laugh escaping her lips at her own stupidity. It was early December, and the weather, however warmer than usual, was still cold.  
Draco shook his head, looking at her as she smiled weakly. "What are you going to do at home then?"  
"Probably just be in my bedroom until Dinner or whatever, that's what I usually do." He shrugged.  
"You really hate it don't you?" She looked deep into his eyes, searching for an answer.  
He let out a low sigh, "It could be worse." He turned to look at her.  
"Could it?" She lifted her eyebrows, not content with the answer.  
"You-know-who hasn't tried to kill me yet." A violent shiver ran down Hermione's spine at the so nonchalant statement, her very nerves went numb as she tried to say something, but nothing would come out. "Yeah, he's been around for a few dinner parties...where he is the only guest, and usually it ends in my father quivering in a corner as he stands over him, threatening to kill him if he doesn't do what he wants. Coward." He added, spitting on the ground below them in disgust at his father's actions.  
Hermione didn't know what to say, "I had no idea." She voiced aloud, tears threatening to spill out as the lump in her throat chocked her.  
"Don't worry about it. You get used to it I suppose, the death eaters coming round for tea every other night to discuss Potter or whoever else they have on their list. The endless amount of teachers they want to kill, and goodness knows the amount of parents."  
Hermione's tongue went dry. Draco wasn't even looking at her, he had his legs open, with his arms resting on them, bringing his body forward as he watched the string of people pass them.  
"I'm sorry." It's all she could say, her tongue was like sandpaper against her mouth, she could feel every word, but the tiny whisper didn't seem like her voice.  
"Don't be," He snapped, jerking his head to take a glance at her, "look, I'm sorry, I just don't want anyone to feel sorry for me. Like I said, it could be worse." He changed his tone as he saw the girl, sat perched on the edge of the bench, her mind wandering to what it must have been like at the Manor.  
She gave a slight nod of understanding at his words, and the two fell silent once more.

The conversation picked up again as the two talked about places they had been on holiday, with Hermione listing the muggle camping trips and caravan parks, as well as the occasional week long holiday to America or France. Draco, it seemed, had only ever been away once, to France with his tutor, who had spent the whole trip showing him around the wizard architecture and secret underground city; which Hermione would have thought was very interesting, had it not been for Draco's lack of enthusiasm in the recital of his journey to the forgotten land.  
Hermione discovered that Malfoy had been home tutored from the age of five, by an old wizard friend of his father's, and had been learning to brew potions from a young age, which Lucius helped him with.  
And Draco was as equally surprised to learn that Granger had spent eleven years of her life having no clue at all that she was a witch, her parents and teachers all blaming books to be the cause of her unusual intelligence at such an age.  
To Draco, the thought of going to a school full of muggles made him feel somewhat ill, without being able to speak or use any of his magical abilities, no matter the lack of them; but Hermione seemed to enjoy this environment it seemed, she laughed as she retold a few stories, which made no sense at all to Draco, but he laughed none the less, watching her eyes flicker in amusement as she remembered her past life.  
"Do you miss it?" He questioned.  
"Not at all." Her laughing subsided as she glared deep into his grey eyes.  
"Not even your parents?" Hermione didn't seem like the time of person to not miss her parents, and he was correct with this assumption, as Hermione agreed that she did miss them greatly, but "they want what's best for me, and that's here." She smiled widely, remembering the very conversation they had had on her eleventh birthday, some six years prior.  
Draco couldn't help but wish his parents would say that to him, for them to show and tell him they cared, but he couldn't even think of one happy memory that would stand against this sort of pride from the muggle's.  
Seeing Draco trail off from the conversation, and getting once more absorbed in his own thoughts, she wondered whether to interrupt the dull chatter and ask something completely irreverent, in a hope that it would stop Draco's mind wandering to self-pity, eventually, she piped in, "Where did you get that music player?" The question caught Malfoy off guard, as she stabbed the question into the middle of his drawl of self-sympathy,  
"Father brought it home from work, that Weasley one had to have a look at it, and he managed to figure out how it worked, and realised it wasn't harmful. Dad knew I was asking for something similar and gave me it," he shrugged, "at least I think that's the story. Got it in the post a few years ago."  
"It's a good little device." She looked impressed, Mr Weasley was a very intelligent man, but Malfoy probably wouldn't appreciate the knowledge that went into his job.  
The wind lifted their hair as they continued to talk about muggle things, Hermione wrapping her arms tighter across her chest.  
"Sure you don't want me coat?" Draco asked, not liking the look of how Hermione kept trying to warm herself up.  
"No, it's okay, besides, you're wearing it." She gave a small heart-hearted laugh and continued explaining the uses of telephones, which seemed useful yet unnecessary to Draco.  
"But I don't get how you can speak to each other through a little box." He kept saying, still puzzled after countless efforts of explaining. In the end, they both agreed that owl post was slow and that Wizards ought to start looking into the muggle invention that seemed to work at the flash of light. Hermione didn't even have time to dwell on the Internet, before Draco started to get worried about the time of the train.  
"Do you want to get them now?" She looked behind her to the station, looking around to see a little ticket desk just inside the building.  
"Come with me?" He asked before standing up and checking the money he had. "How much do you think it will be?"  
"Depends where to." She shrugged, "nothing more than five galleons I expect." She stood herself, peering down at Draco's outstretched hand, which held a pile of silver and gold coins.  
With a nod, Draco took three gold galleons from the pile and put the rest of his change back in his pocket as they headed towards the entrance of the station.  
Behind the wooden ticket desk was a little old man with hunched shoulders and a square head, he had a black moustache that met with the sleek black hair that ran across the side of his head, leaving a slight bald patch at the middle.  
"Train to Wiltshire please." Draco asked the man as he checked the times on the board behind the assistant.  
"Four galleons five sickles please." He asked as Draco handed him the money. He looked his watch as the man gave him his change and tickets; he had a few minutes before the train was due.  
"Why don't you just apparate?" She asked as she walked him towards the platform.  
"I'm not seventeen remember, I have to wait to take the test." He sulked, snarling slightly at the unfairness of his own misfortune. She had completely forgotten she was older than him.  
"It's easy really." She trailed off, the train was due any minute, and he would have to go through the barrier before he could get to his platform, "have fun tonight then." She said with a smile as she turned to him, her arms still crossed against her chest.  
He gave a slight snort, and muffled a something that resembled as an "I'll try."  
She gave a small sigh and gave him a quick awkward hug, before glancing at the time. "So yeah, guessing I'll be seeing you." Hermione said wearily as he looked at her, a bit stunned by the contact. He shook the feeling away and said goodbye, before turning and heading deeper into the station, leaving her on her own as she watched his blonde locks trail into the distance. The girl walked off silently, only turning her head to watch Draco walk onto the busy platform. He didn't look back himself until he could feel that her gaze had left him.

* * *

"Wait! Hermione!" Draco was running behind her, trying to catch up. The girl turned at her name; puzzled when she saw the speaker.  
"Wha-"  
"Cancelled...mother...sick..." He breathed out heavily, panting from the sprint he had just taken to reach the girl.  
"Oh." It was all Hermione could say, as she watched the boy lent his body on his bent leg, trying to gain control of his breathing.  
"Want to stay out? I mean, you can go back to the castle if you want." He finally asked, once his heartbeat was back in rhythm; taking a quick glance at the huge castle that lay ahead of them, and then back at Hermione.  
"Have I really go much choice?" She smiled, causing the boy to smirk.  
They walked a while, and found a small, quiet spot at the back of a large shop, which formed a square between the other shops beside it. They sat down on the stone steps, sitting apart from each other.

"Have my coat." He ordered, taking it off himself once he saw Hermione's cheeks go pale.  
Rolling her eyes, she took the jacket and put it on, instantly being emerged in warmth and the strong smell of aftershave.  
"Great, now I smell like boy." She said with a small laugh as she wrapped the material further around her cold body.  
"It's not a bad thing." He laughed with her. He didn't think he'd ever laughed this much in his life.  
"Aren't you cold?" He shook his head, but then took out his wand and did a simple incantation to send a small jet of blue flames coming from the tip of his wand and landing neatly infront of them, the fire warming them up instantly. "That's better." She could feel her body swimming in the heat, like she was floating on a cloud with the sun gleaming around them.  
Two small children came running along the path, their mother walking slowly behind them, watching as they stopped to play on the square next to the couple. Hermione smiled as she watched the boy run around, shouting made up spells to the girl, presumedly his sister. Hermione looked at Draco, he was laughing as well, staring intently at the children who laughed as they chased each other. Draco didn't stop smiling, or turn his gaze from the two until their mother eventually managed to take them back to the path.  
"Do you want kids?" She asked softly, resting her head on her hand.  
He seemed momentarily taken aback by the question, "I'm not coming onto you!" She exclaimed, hoping he hadn't got the wrong end of the stick.  
He answered with a shrug, "I haven't really thought about it."  
Hermione nodded, "I think it's weird, how girls plan their future, deciding their wedding dresses and baby names, all before their time." She sighed, looking deep into his eyes.  
"Not really."  
"I want three I think, or two."  
"That's nice." He trailed off,  
Hermione couldn't help but think someone was watching them, she spun her body round and looked behind them into the gap in the shops which led them to this spot, but she couldn't see anyone. She shrugged the thought off and turned her attention back to the boy.  
"Do you think you will? Want children I mean?" She remembered his face as he had watched the siblings play in front of them, he seemed amused by the question and just answered with a simple,  
"I don't know."

Malfoy's gaze rested on Hermione's legs, which were shaking in a hope to get warm.  
"Come here." He said, and held out his arm for the girl to slide underneath. Hermione was hesitant, but decided there was no harm and slipped inside his grip. "Keep close and get warm."  
"Like penguins!" Hermione explained with a giggle as she inched her body slowly closer to his.  
She breathed in his strong scent, feeling safe in his arms, as if she could never be hurt again as long as his arms stayed pinned across her back.

"Oh, Hermione!" gasped a voice, as she saw Malfoy's arm around Hermione. Pavati and Padma Patil suddenly shadowed Hermione's view, making her lose track of her thoughts entirely. Hermione removed herself from Draco's protective grasp, and met the two girls at the bottom of the small flight of steps.  
"Hi, what brings you here?" She said nervously, trying to avert their attention from Draco.  
"I wanted to go to the Three Broomsticks, but Padma here wanted The Owl's Inn."  
"I haven't heard of that one, where's that?"  
"By Honeydukes," Malfoy's voice chipped him, causing the three girls to look at him, "it's nice."  
"That's what I said!" Padma announced. The three laughed together, until Pavati stated they had to go, and were suddenly in confusement in which way to go, and decided to go back the way they came.  
"Well that wasn't awkward." Hermione breathed as she sat back down.  
"Come here." Draco outstretched his arm as a gesture to slide back in next to him. She took up his offer and wrapped her legs inside of his, keeping herself warm. "How do I get you alone?" He whispered into her hair.  
"I could fall asleep like this." She said sleepily, resting her head on his hard shoulder.  
"Please don't," He laughed, but Hermione only buried herself deeper into the groove of his neck. "I still can't believe you've never been kissed."  
"I can." She moaned a little, it was something she didn't want to talk about right now.  
"You don't seem like the type."  
"Oh? What, being the class nerd normally means you've been kissed does it?" She looked up at him, to see him ponder this for a moment.  
"Hm...sometimes." He concluded, placing his chin onto her head gently.  
They stayed like that for a while, Draco occasionally rubbing her leg as she wrapped her arm around his waist, wriggling herself in closer to catch some of his body heat. It was weird to think that such a cold person could be so warm. Well, maybe he wasn't such a cold person as she thought. He was strange in that way. He had been so persistent for today to happen, and she had no idea why. The start of the day had been awkward, she'd admit that. But he had really grown on her. The girl closed her eyes and let herself gently go limp in his arms. She felt safe, like no one could ever hurt her again.  
"Hey." His masculine voice interrupted her thoughts.  
"Mmm." She hummed, her eyes still closed.  
"Don't fall asleep on me now!" He joked, making her smile into his shoulder, "you think I'm joking!"  
"What if I do?" She buried herself deeper into him, honestly wishing they could stay like this forever.  
"Cos I'm afraid you'll never wake up again."  
Hermione loosened her grip on his waist and lifted her head, "W-"  
"Argh!" The boy groaned.  
"What?"  
"No, nothing."  
"What?" Hermione persisted, rolling her eyes.  
"Nothing!" He laughed, placing his head on hers.  
But Hermione wasn't having it, she moved her head away from him and looked into his eyes.  
"Tell me." She said, pouting slightly.  
"I had a good way to wake you up." Draco smirked.  
"What was it?" She asked, with a slight glimmer in her eye; she hoped she knew what the answer was.  
"Doesn't matter now."  
"Fine!" She put her head back on his shoulder, "I'll just go back to sleep."  
As soon as she had closed her eyes once more, she could feel a pair of lips on hers. She moved her neck up and allowed Draco to slowly open her mouth with his tongue. When he finally let go of her, she smiled up at him.  
"If only that was my alarm clock." Before she even had a chance to show her glimmering teeth, he had locked his lips on hers once more.

* * *

Draco walked down the steps of the castle towards the Slytherin common room, had that all really just happened? He didn't even know how long he had wanted today to happen, and now it had, in the best possible way imaginable. He didn't even know what he was doing, when he had made their contact so close. His body just took over, and he was glad it had. The two had stayed silent until it had started to get darker, and the temperature plummeted. They'd sat and kissed until they realised that the real world still existed, at which they had held hands until they reached the main grounds of the school. His heart burned as he thought of her, his pulse racing as he remembered the day. He smiled to himself as he finally reached his destination. His feelings for her were so strong he had to contain his strong urge to tell everyone. He just hoped the feeling was mutual.

Hermione threw herself onto her bed, her head spinning, with the warm touch of his hand on her thigh, the feel of Draco's lips on hers, the sensation of his tongue gently pressing against her, as he silently explored her mouth. Her stomach was on fire, burning all around her, making every blood cell in her alive. His lips were so soft gentle, and he hadn't forced herself on her at all. She could still feel her lips tingling with the touch of him. She turned herself around on the bed, giving a small squeal as she grabbed her cover and wrapped herself in it. She longed to be in his arms again, for him to protect her as he warmed up her cold body. It would be dinner any minute now, but Hermione wanted to stay there forever, wrapped up in her cover as she lay on the bed, her head dizzy with feelings. Her heart was pounding, her stomach buzzing. She smiled to herself under the fabric, she really liked him. She didn't really feel like eating, but forced herself out of bed, excited to see Draco again, even if they couldn't talk.


	7. Chapter 7-It's All Coming Back To Me Now

Ginny squealed in excitement when she told her, she was so happy that her friend had finally had her first kiss, and wanted to know all the details, Harry, on the other hand, was much less pleased,  
"What does he want with you?" He demanded, shooting a look of pure hatred in Draco's direction from across the hall.  
"I don't know, it wasn't a date, it sort of just of…happened."  
Her heart melted as Harry came up to all sorts of conclusions as to why Draco wanted her. And then there was Ron. "I'm going to knock his lights out." He stood up violently, when he found out, his fists clenched ready to punch.  
"Don't you dare!" Hermione tried to calm him down, and, eventually he sat back down and joined Harry with the accusations.  
It was hard for her not to tell Ron, he was her best friend, and he had to know. Making a quick change in topic, not liking the way the conversation was going, Hermione started reciting all the Homework both the boys had to catch up on, now that they both had Quidditch duties to maintain.

"Oh so you're back now? I got quiet bored of watching you through that window." Lavender Brown's voice cut through their conversation, Hermione turned to her in surprise,  
"What do you mean 'watching me'?" She demanded, shooting a look at Ron and Harry, who looked as if they had a lot to hide, "You were spying on me!" She shouted in shock, staring at each of her friends in turn.  
"Well, not exactly." Ginny tried to reason, but Hermione wasn't having any of it.  
"I told you not to come!" She almost bellowed over the noise in the hall, standing up violently as she could feel tears threatening to spill up. She didn't know what to think, she had trusted her friends. She let out a small whimper of shock and disbelief, looking over the mass of heads to try and find Draco and tell him. But as soon as she laid eyes on him, chatting away to that Millicent Bulstrode, some part of her knew she couldn't tell him. He wouldn't live it down, he would probably curse all three of them for being so rude, and she couldn't allow that, even though she felt like doing just that herself. She slowly sat back down and gulped in the tears, not allowing herself to cry. Picking up her fork with her eyes closed, she breathed out deeply before continuing to eat, not looking at the people that surrounded her.  
"We're sorry," Harry told her, feeling guilty as he watched his best friend look so angry and upset with them, "we were just worried. You know what he's like."  
"He's changed." She shook her head, still avoiding eye contact.  
"You don't know that." Ron pleaded with her, wishing she could see what a scumbag he was.  
"You know, this is exactly why I didn't want to tell any of you." She breathed out with such venom that no one spoke for some time.  
"I'll be leaving then..." Lavender spoke out, cutting the lingering tension.  
"About time." Hermione snapped as the girl walked away with a smile on her face. Hermione gave a slight shudder of annoyance as she griped her knife tighter, that girl really got on her nerves.  
"Hermione, we all know he only wants one thing." Ginny piped in nervously, giving a slight glance to Harry.  
"You don't know that." Hermione looked up at Harry, he could see in her eyes that deep down she had had the same thought herself. Indeed she had, some part of her, the part that hated Draco, honestly had the strong nagging feeling that he only wanted to use her. But then today, he had been so kind to her. She looked away from Harry and back down to her chest with a sigh.  
"He was so nice today though." The belief that Malfoy only wanted her for sex consumed her, her eyes flickered in his direction and her heart melted, all hope of a relationship shattering as she let the idea sink deeper into her. She didn't want sex, she wasn't ready for that. Her insides turned cold, her fingers going numb as she listened to the endless amounts of accusations her friends had. But every idea they said, she had already thought of before. She nodded her head and gave in, somehow they'd convinced her, Malfoy was bad news, he would never look at a muggle-born, and certainly not her. She forgot all about how alive she had felt in his arms, and let the feeling of hurt over take her. There was something about today that confirmed that she had feelings for him. Maybe he had used the whole day to trick her into liking him, pretending to be charming and a gentleman, buying her lunch and giving her his coat, maybe it was all just an act.

She continued to block out the world as she made her way up to the common room, her body tingling as she accepted the fact that he was playing her. He wasn't interested, and as Ron pointed out, he just wanted to use her to get what he wanted. At least Ginny listened when she told her about how he'd bought her lunch and been so kind to her, but even as the girl nodded and smiled and told her that was a nice thing for him to do, there was an obvious underlying doubt that this wasn't part of his whole seducing plan. Hermione didn't know what to say or think any more; part of her longed for him, for the feel of his hand on her shoulder, for the feel of his breath on her cheek, for the feel of his lips on hers. Had it really all been a lie? Had the past few weeks all just been some kind of game? She should have known when she had stopped talking to him, when he had forced himself in her. Gosh, it was all so obvious now.

There was just something in the way he looked at her, her heart just melted and she forgot all about the past. But boy was it all coming back to her now, the name calling and the taunts, they could never put that behind them. No matter how badly her heart wanted to keep onto him, her brain was telling her she had to let go, he had used her, and she's let him get to her.

* * *

Hermione hadn't talked to him in days, had he done something wrong again? He'd seen her, chatting to her stupid friends, but she always avoided his eye contact which he was insistent to make. He couldn't understand what he had done wrong. He hadn't done anything wrong. He'd been civil, she seemed to enjoy the day, and she had even kissed him! What had gone wrong?

Draco walked along the corridor, trying yet again to see if he could catch Hermione on her own, to try and see why she was avoiding him; but the castle seemed to be deserted, the sixth years had a free lesson so he had expected to see her walking around, but she was nowhere to be seen. His thoughts continued to motivate him into finding her, he need to know what he had done to upset her. Had he said something? Had someone else said something to her to make her hate him?

"I bet it was that stupid Weasley." He voiced aloud, kicking a nearby empty bottle of Pumpkin Juice that lay forgotten on the ground once more. He was just about to kick the stray bottle further ahead again, when he stopped dead in his tracks. What if Weasley had said something? He scratched his head as he sat himself down on a wooden bench, trying to think. It would make perfect sense, of Potter and Weasley to poison her mind into thinking he was scum. It could be easily done, just bring up his past or his family and no girl would ever look at him twice. But Hermione wasn't just any other girl. He face turned sour as he imagined what they would have said to her, his whole body filled with hatred as he stood back up again, leaning on the wall, fearing he would fall down, overcome with such a strong emotion. His clenched fist rested above him as he lent all of his weight onto his bent elbow, it all maked sense; there was no other reason for her to now be avoiding him. He knew she had been sceptical at first of his intentions of the whole situation, so it would be easy for her to be swayed by a few seeds planted in her mind.  
Draco composed his anger and continued to walk on; he needed to get his books before Potions. 'Potions', he smiled to himself, Hermione was in Potions, and so were Ron and Harry he sneered, he needed to teach them that they couldn't go around, messing up every little thing good in his life.

Draco picked up his books from his dorm and stepped back out into the cold dungeon corridor, making his way to class. It was only when he opened the classroom door to reveal everyone standing at their places, cauldrons already ablaze that he had an idea. He took his place next to Blaise, who was already working on a Fire Protection Potion, and took a look around the classroom; Weasley and Potter weren't here yet. He smiled to himself as he asked his friend where they were up to, and focused on the work. He knew from years of experience, that it only took a few petals of a moss flower to be added in the first few stages, which would change the potion entirely; making a rather good hair removal potion, which causes the taker to grow hair all over their body. 'Perfect' Draco sneered to himself, as he watched his victims walk into the room, covered in mud, appearing to have been out playing Quidditch with some other Gryffindorks.  
While Slughorn was distracted with telling the late comers off, Malfoy crept behind the teacher and into the supply cupboard, before taking a quick glance at Hermione, who was concentrating on scowling at her friends at the same time as keeping control of the difficult potion. Draco grabbed a handful of moss from its jar and scooted back to his table without being noticed.  
"What's that?" Blaise asked, curious as to why Draco had gone into the store cupboard when they already had all of their ingredients. Draco held out his hand in response, showing his friend the green plant, while sneering at the two boys who stood only a table away from him. Zabini nodded in agreement, a smirk spread across his face as he too, stared at Ron and Harry. "When?" he asked, stirring the cauldron as Malfoy shifted his gaze to the girl that stood a few centimetres from the two boys.  
"Once they've added the fly wings," he smirked, "watch my back?" he didn't take his eyes off Hermione as he spoke.  
"Sure. Just tell me when and I'll ask old Slugy for some rat droppings."  
Draco gave a half-hearted laugh as he continued to watch the girl crush some peppercorn spices and add them to the caldron, completely transfixed as he stared at her, wishing he could be the one to gently tuck her hair behind her ear.  
He saw Harry add the fly wings and nudged his friend in the elbow as he made his way over to their table, grabbing a few moss petals. Sensing his queue, Blaise walked over to the teacher, watching as Draco pretended to be looking for some Earwig hairs from the other side of the room. Just as he was inches away from the red-head, Draco took a quick dive and tripped over himself, crashing into Ron, sending them both to the floor, but quickly managing to throw the moss into the bubbling caldron without anyone noticing in the mist of the commotion of Ron crying out in pain, and Harry tugging Malfoy off his friend, and Hermione shrieking as she witnessed the scene infront of her.  
"Are you okay?!" she gasped as both boys got up, Ron looking absolutely furious, and Draco trying to keep a straight face.  
Draco was just about to answer, when Ron got there first, "Yeah." He growled, glaring at Malfoy as he dusted off his robes; it must have been Weasley that this concerned question was directed to, because she seemed content with the answer and gave a weak smile before glaring at Malfoy herself. Walking away, his head down, partly in mock shame of falling over, and partly to hide the smirk that was spread widely across his features.

Back at his station, the now feeling rather pleased with himself Malfoy watched as the boys' caldron started to fizz up as they added lace wax, the potion bubbled over the top of the metal cauldron, pouring hot red liquid onto the counter top, in a mad rush to stop Slughorn from seeing, Harry and Ron used the arms of their sleeves to mop up the liquid. Seeping through to their bare skin, the potion was instantly effective, one minute the boys' had a full head of hair, the next second it was shrinking so rapidly that in a blink of an eye they were completely blind. They didn't even notice themselves until Hermione looked up again and nearly screamed the castle down; everything from their eyebrows to their leg hair had been completely removed. The whole room burst into a fit of laughter, leaving only Ron, Harry, Hermione and Slughorn the only ones not finding the situation the least bit funny.  
The moment the teacher had ushered the two panic-stricken teenagers out of the room, Hermione burst over to Draco, her wand held tightly in her hand, her face screwed up in anger.  
"Do you _want_ me to punch you again?" she shouted, marching up to him.  
"Please don't." He joked, but wasn't entirely sure he had managed to hide the distinct fear he was currently feeling, Hermione could be scary when she's angry.  
"Just leave me alone Malfoy." She spat, getting right up in his face, searching his eyes for an answer to why he had been so stupid.  
"Why? Did I hurt your boyfriend?" He mocked, looking over his shoulder as Blaise gave a slight snigger.  
"He is not my boyfriend." She hissed, backing away from him, scared of what she might do.  
"Could have fooled me." Draco stated. He didn't know what he was saying, the words where just pouring out of his mouth without his brain having any control. Was that the reason why she wasn't speaking to him? Had her feelings for Weasley really not gone?  
"Shutup Malfoy," She whispered, shaking her head, there was no use in any of it, "Just leave me alone." She breathed the words out, barely audible in the loud classroom, but Draco heard the words perfectly; his heart dropping to his stomach as he watched her walk away, a look of shear disappointment on her face.

* * *

He needed a way of telling her how he felt, without the stupid tricks to get her attention, and to get his own back on a hunch he had made as to why she was avoiding him; he had made it a whole lot worse now.  
As he sat himself down on a large couch in the common room, a seemingly brilliant idea hit him; Blaise had mentioned a party tonight, for that stupid Slug Club, hadn't he told him that Granger was a member too? His heart did a little jump as he found the perfect way to speak to her, she wouldn't make a scene in front of everyone, so he was guaranteed she would speak to him. He just needed to find a way to get in.

Hermione didn't even know what to think; she was getting ready by herself in the dormitory, putting on the nicest dress she could find for the Christmas party. She didn't feel much like going, her day had been pretty awful, and she just fancied a nice long sleep, but she couldn't let Slughorn down, not after the day he's had; which was all Malfoy's fault. God, he was so infuriating! She was so close to hitting him today that she struggled to walk away. She just couldn't believe that after everything, he really hadn't changed at all. What she wanted to know was what led him to do such a thing? Had Harry or Ron upset him? Surely he didn't think she still fancied Ron! But what if she did? She collapsed herself onto her bed with a sigh, not knowing what to think anymore.

At midnight, Draco watched from the floor above as Hermione met Harry and Lovegood in the Entrance Hall, and made their way to the party. He followed close behind, unbeknown to the small group, making sure that his footsteps couldn't be heard in the now silent castle. They led the way to the dungeons, and into Slughorn's office; but Draco left them, allowing them to walk inside while he waited in a deserted classroom for the right time.

Hermione was chatting to a group of Ravenclaws when she saw a wave of blonde hair out of the corner of her eye, turning around, she saw Malfoy being dragged by the ear towards the group by Filch. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him, listening to the caretaker as he spoke to Slughorn,  
"I discovered this boy lurking in the corridor outside. This boy claims to have been invited to your party and been delayed in setting out. Did you issue him with an invitation?"  
Draco pulled himself free of Filch's grasp, looking furious.  
"Alright, I wasn't invited!" he said angrily, looking around the room in search of Hermione, "I was trying to gate-" he stopped dead as he found the girl he was looking for, her face was scowling disapprovingly at him. He choked up his words; she looked flawless in a beautiful short pink skirt which revealed her slender cleavage, he hair in small little ringlets falling at her shoulders, "I was trying to gatecrash." He turned his attention back to Slughorn, prizing his eyes away from the beautiful girl that stood away from him, blocking out everyone else around her as she lit up the whole room with her beauty.  
"You're in trouble you are," the squib's voice interrupted his visions of what Hermione had on underneath that revealing dress, "You can't go wandering around the castle unless you've got permission." The man sneered.  
"It's alright Argus," Slughorn responded, waving his hand. "It's Christmas, and it's not a crime to want to come and party. Just this once, we'll forget any punishment, you may stay, Draco." Draco could have sworn he had seen the Professor take a quick glance at Hermione as he said these words, a wicked glint in his eye.  
Hermione's expression echoed the one of Filch's, of outrage, and watched in almost disbelief as Draco thanked Slughorn, and the two spoke about his grandfather. Hermione tried to block the boy out of her mind, and turned back to the group of girl's she was previously speaking to, but she couldn't concentrate, and her mind kept drifting into Draco's conversation, he was making a poor excuse of sucking up to the merry teacher.  
Hermione caught eyes with Harry, and drifted across the room to speak to him, but her path was interrupted by Malfoy stepping in front of her. With a roll of her eyes, she looked up at his all too smirking face. It was the first time she had seen him close up in a while, and her heart almost melted at the sight of his sorry eyes, which held dark bags under them from lack of sleep, where he had been up all night thinking about her, but she would never know quite how badly he missed her. She could feel his cold breath as they held a stare. His eyes pleaded innocence, whereas she held a cold stare filled with anger and hatred. Without even thinking, Draco touched her cold jaw with the back of his hand, gently stroking her skin as he searched her eyes, looking for a sign of forgiveness. But she looked away, Draco still keeping contact as the anger built up inside her. It took a great deal of courage for her to spit out the words "Go away." she said them so silently, but with so much force the whole room could hear every syllable.  
Draco could hear the hatred in her voice. His hand went limp and he removed it from her face and without another word, he walked away, knowing he had just made things worse. Again.

* * *

A.N: I hated this chapter so much so I will aim to update for maybe Wednesday, thankyou for reading and I appologise for this chapter..


	8. Chapter 8-Think Twice

A.N: Yes, this is short, I'm sorry...I just hated the last chapter

* * *

But before Draco had reached the door, a mass of brown hair ran out before him, banging him slightly with her shoulder. Hermione ran down the dungeon corridor without looking back, her hand to her face as she wiped away the tear that spilled from her eyes.  
"Don't think that I can't feel that there's something wrong." Draco marched up to her.  
"Oh you can, can you? You can feel that something's wrong?" She cried out, sharply turning to look at him, her skirt twirling around with the speed. "You know, I was afraid to let you in here," She banged her clenched hand across her chest as she shouted the words, her face scrunched up in anger and upset, "now I've learned haven't I." She huffed, almost laughing at her own stupidity at letting him get to her.  
"I don't understand." He said, at a complete loss for words.  
"Oh don't you?"  
"What have I done?"  
"What haven't you done." She snorted.  
"What does that mean?" He squeaked, a lump forming in his throat.  
"It means...it means that this, this is never going to work." She swished her arm for effect, making the words stand out amongst the empty corridor.  
"Hermione, be sure before you close that door." He said, holding his hand out to try and reason with her.  
"This is serious Malfoy." She snapped, the tears drying up as she took control of herself.  
"Don't say what you're about to say, look back before you leave my life." He said, grasping onto her hand. She forced herself to look at him before shaking his hand away. "Whatever it takes I'll sacrifice." He pleaded on deaf ears, "Just think twice, please." He begged, tears threatening to spill out of his own eyes.  
"Give it a rest Malfoy. You had your chance."  
"Please." One blink and a single silver tear ran down his pale face. "Hermione!" He cried as she turned away, he grabbed her hand again, forcing her to look at him again; she had tears forming in her own eyes, "I need you."  
Another blink of the eye and the tears were running freely down the girls face, she ran from him, leaving Draco to stand motionless in the middle of the corridor, his heart shattered in a million pieces.  
"I'll be waiting for you." He shouted after her, tears coming out of his own eyes.


	9. Chapter 9-Fade Away

Hermione hadn't even tried to avoid him; in fact, she did her best to rub it in his face that she just wasn't interested in him anymore, she didn't care what he had to say, and whenever Draco tried to get her attention, she'd just walk on, pretending to not even hear a whisper. This was what Draco hated the most, he desperately needed to talk to her, to make her see, to make her understand, but he just couldn't.

The girl herself couldn't help but think about that slimy blonde-haired boy that had made her feel every emotion available, and more. At one second, she remembered how he had been so kind to her, and how he made her feel; and in the next, her face had scrunched up and her heart screaming as she thought of how much of a sneak he was, trying to get into her head. This was exactly what he was doing, and exactly what she was letting him do. He had looked so alone and tired when she had definitely called things off, the image of him begging her to not end it kept swirling in her brain, but she wouldn't allow herself to fall for him. She wouldn't allow herself to get hurt.

It had been just over a week now, and Draco found himself strolling the corridors between classes and at break with his music in, clearing his mind. But that didn't always happen. His brain always seemed to wander to a certain girl that filled his dreams every night, and made his heart tingle and skip with joy whenever he thought of her, yet a second later could make it melt and thump to his stomach with a heavy weight of guilt and longing.

"Hermione!" Draco shouted, suddenly spotting the girl as she walked straight past him in the corridor, not even giving him a backwards glance.  
"Oh just give it a rest Malfoy." She rolled her eyes as she stopped dead in the middle of the corridor, turning towards him, watching as he strolled up to her.  
"Please, just hear me out." He said upon reaching her.  
Rolling her eyes again, she nodded; allowing Malfoy to lead her by the elbow into the courtyard, which was partly empty.  
"What is it Malfoy? I haven't got time for this." She stated, glancing around her.  
"Have you been thinking about me? About us?" He corrected in a hushed tone, staring deep into her eyes, searching for that candle that once used to flicker for him.  
"Haven't given it a second thought." She said coldly, with a hint of darkness in her soft voice.  
"I don't believe you."  
"You don't have too."  
They both hadn't dropped their gaze from each other, neither of them daring to break eye contact.  
"It was Weasel and Potter wasn't it, they've said something to you," Hermione's brown eyes faltered, and fell to the ground, Draco stood in disbelief, he couldn't believe that his stupid theory was right, "I knew it." He gave a cold, half-hearted laugh as he gently shook his head in mock disbelief.  
"They just told me what I already knew." She said quietly, speaking to the ground.  
Draco couldn't help but notice how she was playing with her hands, and slowly starting to pick at her nails; at which he gently put his hand over hers to stop her, she shuddered at the contact and quickly put her hands to her sides.  
"And what was that?" Draco asked softly, lightly rubbing his hand across her cheek, not even realising he was doing it until she turned her head away from him. "Did they say I would use you? That I haven't changed? That I can't be trusted?" He answered for her with a shrug, after a very pregnant pause.  
"And what? You can? You can be trusted after all this time?" She asked with mock puzzlement.  
"That's up for you to decide." He took her hand in his as she looked back up at him.  
"What if I don't want to know the answer?" She tried to take her hand out of his grasp, but he only held onto her tighter.  
"I've changed." He told her, pleading slightly.  
"I don't know that." She said with a cold edge to her voice, a snarl on her face as she continued to free herself from his grasp.  
Draco couldn't bare it, he just needed her to co-operate with him, but she wouldn't even listen. "Just believe me, I'll make you see what I know you're heart already knows." He whispered coldly, spitting in her face as he dropped her hand.

She looked away from him and his stomach dropped to the ground as he saw how fragile and upset she looked. He needed to tell her, something that had been playing on his mind for a while, he couldn't even find the words, but he drew a sharp breath and let his heart do the talking, "Look, Hermione, I can't get you out of my mind..." he looked at her puzzled expression and decided to carry on, "I guess, what I mean to say is, I've always had feelings for you." He said quickly, still searching for her eyes.  
"W-what?" She answered, looking up at him.  
"I can't get you out of my mind. I've always lo-" His words were cut short by an angry voice in the near distance.

"Hermione!"  
_Shit!_ Hermione thought, it was Ron. She looked away from Draco and stared in the opposite direction, to see Ron marching towards the couple, his face scrunched in anger, his wand aloft ready to fight.  
"Look, Ron, it's okay!" Hermione tried to explain, holding her arms out to try and calm him down as he came ever closer. Malfoy started to back away, sensing the danger in the air.  
"Malfoy!" Ron almost screamed as he finally reached them, "What have you done to her?"  
"What! Nothing! Tell him Granger," Draco slightly whimpered, looking to Hermione for defence, but she didn't even look at him, instead her focus was on Ron, "tell your precious _boyfriend_ that I haven't done anything to you!" he added with a slight hiss.  
"Has he hurt you?" Ron turned to Hermione when she failed to answer, his wand was still pointed to Draco's face, Hermione shook her head, staring at Ron with mixed emotions on her face. "If you've done anything to her Malfoy I swear I'll-" he turned his attention back to the blonde haired boy, who was slowly continuing to back away.  
"You'll what? Get Potter on me?" Draco snorted in mock disbelief.  
"I'll…I'll hex you into space!" he exclaimed.  
"Oh good, I'll get to go to Pigfarts!" Malfoy clapped his hands to his chest, pretending to be ecstatic at the prospect. _((I couldn't resist))_  
Ron dropped his wand and fully turned his attention to the girl, "What are you doing with…_him_?" he said in disgust, not even bothering to lower his voice.  
But Hermione didn't answer, Draco was wishing with all he had that she would defend him, to tell her stupid boyfriend that they were friends, that they had, as Slughorn put it, put their differences aside, and found that they were actually quite good company. They had even kissed for Christ sakes! But she didn't, instead she turned in the other direction and ran out of the two boys sight before either of them could stop her. Maybe they weren't friends any more.  
"Happy now?" Draco raised his eye brows to the other boy.  
"Shutup Malfoy." He snarled.  
"She fanci-" Draco cut himself short; was he really about to reveal Hermione's secret to the wind? Sure, it was no real secret, it was written all over her face whenever she looked at the red-headed git, but he wasn't the one to tell him that. But had that all changed since he became involved? The thought of her still having feelings for Ron Weasley made him feel sick. She had denied that they were still strong, but where they still there? Draco couldn't be sure, after all, she had listened to Ron for advice, without even giving him a second thought.

Soon enough, Weasel's real girlfriend had skipped beside them and hung to Ron's arm, giving Draco a filthy snarl before she tugged Ron away. "See you're hair's grown back then!" He called after the two, smiling to himself as he turned to walk away.  
No sooner had he turned his back, had Ron turned and raised his wand again. It all went in slow motion; suddenly Draco felt the sharpest pain blast into his back, he grabbed his spine as he crippled over in intense agony. The world went dark, all he could see was the ground, he huddled in himself as the pain soared through him; every vein intensifying as he curled himself up into a tight ball, crying into his chest.

* * *

A.N: Again, apologies for this chapter, I don't know what's going on with me. Please continue to read and review and I promisly hope the next few are better.


	10. Chapter 10-Love Doesn't Ask Why

"Have you heard about Malfoy?"

"Apparently his father's taking him out of school."

"He tried to _Avada Kedavra_ Ron Weasley."

"He's been sent home because he's that ill."

"I saw it all. Malfoy was just about to attack Weasley when Potter came along and cursed him."

"I heard he was trying to rape that Granger girl."

"He's in a coma."

"His mum had died with worry."

"His father's going to close the school."

"He was found two days later dead."

"You-know-who is going to go after the attacker."

"He isn't allowed any visitors, he's that bad."

"Nearly died of blood loss."

"His spell back fired."

"It was his own fault."

These were the whispers that could be heard running down the corridors as the rumours spread rapidly of how Draco Malfoy had ended up lying in the hospital ward for two weeks, not being able to stir from his deep sleep. Hermione took no notice of the stupid rumours that involved her, and simply put her friends straight, that she had and never will have anything to do with him; as for Draco he deserved what he got, he'd tried to attack Ron, so in self-defence, her best friend had done the first thing that came to mind and did a simple jinx, but somehow Malfoy's wand had defected it. Well, that's what Ron had told her, and she believed him.

That was until she started having doubts about the whole situation, not about him getting hurt, but about them. She didn't know what it was, but there was just something in his pleading eyes when they had last spoken, that made her want to believe that he hadn't done anything wrong. In truth, he hadn't, but she knew his intentions. It made her so angry and upset to think of how he used her. But had he?  
She couldn't help but have a nagging feeling that he hadn't done anything of the sort; that he had actually just wanted to be with her. But he wasn't like that, _'this is Draco Malfoy we're talking about here'_ were the words the little voice inside her head kept telling her whenever she doubted herself. She had been so sure that he was in the wrong, all of her friends agreed that he was only in it to get to her; and she had believed that. Had.

It was the week of Christmas, just six more days and the day was there. The festivities had already started however, with the twelve-foot Christmas Trees that made an annual appearance, and the glittering tinsel and holly that hung around the castle, to the mistletoe that kept springing up in unlikely places; usually in the most awkward situations. But Hermione just got on with the days as if they were any other, consuming her thoughts in work, not wanting to miss out on valuable revision time.  
But as she sat there, with her quill in her hand and her book strewn out over the small table in the common room, Ron looking at her from the opposite side, looking completely lost, her mind couldn't help but wander to a certain boy. She put down her quill at last and rubbed her temples, leaning on the table. Something just wasn't right. She had always been logical, and been able to see things outside of the box, so she knew that even if Malfoy was tricking her, there must be a rashionable explanation behind it, which there was, that he was using her. But she just couldn't help believing that he had changed.

"Hermione, you've been acting so weird lately. What is it?" Ron asked, concerned as he tried to meet her eyes, but she only looked away from him and packed her books into her bag.  
"I've just been worried about exams." She answered quickly, but Ron could sense a slight quiver in her voice.  
"Is it because of Malfoy?" He asked, with great meaning in his voice as he looked up at her from the table.  
The girl gave a sigh and slumped back into the chair, giving a feeble nod, "I know he's not worth it, but I just can't help feeling that something is wrong."  
Ron looked uneasy for a moment, watching as his friend looked so worried about the boy he had put in hospital, his heart melted slightly as he saw how stressed she was, thinking over the situation.  
"You really like him don't you?"  
Hermione couldn't bring herself to answer, and started playing with her fingers, uncontrollably picking at the skin around her nails as she zoned out from the world. She gave a slight nod.  
"Look, Hermione," He said, taking a deep breath as she tore her gaze from her hands and looked up at him, "it was me."  
"What?" The girl asked; her eyebrows slightly arched in confusement.  
"I cursed him. I don't know why. I just hated how he had treated you. And he just wound me up and-Are you okay?" He said it all so quickly, Hermione didn't know what to say, had she just heard correctly?  
"You didn't jinx him?" She asked, blinking as she continued to play with her hands, staring into space.  
"No." He answered after a long pause, his heart beating out of his chest.  
"I need to go and see him." She said, standing up abruptly and grabbing her bag off the floor.  
"Why?" Ron shouted as she ran from him.  
"Love doesn't ask why!" She shouted back as she climbed through the portrait hole, a smile planted on her now bright face.

She didn't stop running until she had got to the doors of the hospital wing. Taking a deep breath, she gently pushed them open to see the small curtains lying around the furthest bed away from her. Without even checking for Madam Pomfrey, she quickly walked to the curtains and stepped inside; taking a sharp gasp at the image in front of her. Draco Malfoy, the handsome boy with perfect structure and soft skin to match his equally soft hair, was lying on the bed, only his face visible beneath the blankets; on his head were several deep lacerations, a running red line coming from the top of his scalp to his cheek bone, and a bright purple bruise on his temple, partially covered by his thick hair with was plastered with sweat to his unusually pale face. The girl took tentative steps towards the figure and carefully placed her hand over his, which lay limp on top of his blue blanket. How could someone who looked so dead feel so warm? Without even realising, Hermione felt a tear trickle down her face at the sight of the boy. She couldn't believe that Ron could do this.

He looked so innocent, lying there with his eyes firmly shut, barely breathing; she couldn't even imagine how much pain he must be in. She hoped he couldn't feel pain now he was unconscious; he had had enough pain in his short life.

The girl pushed herself onto the space beside Draco, carefully swinging her legs over the side of the bed so she was lying next to him, her elbow resting on his pillow, as she softly stroked his blonde locks off his face. She knew now that she had been wrong, just looking at him confirmed that belief. He hadn't ever wanted to hurt her.  
"I'm sorry." She whispered to the lifeless body, bending down to plant a kiss on his forehead.

Little did she know, that at that moment Madam Pomfrey had walked in at that very moment, and seen the girl lie next to the boy who hadn't had any visitors at all; she should have told her to go away, it was protocol, but there was something about the scene that she had just witnessed that made her catch her breath and a small tingle to run through her, and simply drew the curtains closed, unnoticed.

Hermione couldn't bear the thought of how badly she had treated him. He still had dark brown circles under his eyes, making him look even more hopeless in this decrepit state. She had been so horrible to him, she had thought the worst thoughts, and called him all sorts of names to her friends, she had even denied ever being civil to him. Him, this boy that lay beside her now, struggling to breathe as she wiggled her way closer to him, kicking off her shoes and lying with her hand firmly closed over his. She wanted to stay like this until he woke, no matter how long that may be, she wouldn't leave his side. Closing her eyes, the tears still fogging her vision, she let herself whirl into a dizziness of hope. She longed for him to wake so she could tell her how sorry she was. She had prosecuted him without a fair trial; she hadn't listened to him at all, and had just listened to what her mind was telling her.  
As she inched herself even closer to his turned body, she felt something dig into her hip, leaning back, she pushed her hand under the blanket and felt something in the boy's pocket. Carefully, she dug her hand in and pulled it out. It was the music player, she remembered that night, smiling to herself, the first time he told her he liked her.  
She tapped the box with her wand and music came tumbling softly into the empty room, the smooth waves spilling over them as they lay together. Hermione would do anything to keep this moment.

* * *

A.N: I don't know why these chapters are becoming so short, I'm sorry. Once again, please read and review, I'll be happy to answer any questions, I'm not sure if I'm leaving details out because I kind of have the story planned in my head so I'm not sure what bits I'm not telling you guys which I should. Thankyou:)


	11. Chapter 11-I Love You

Hermione spent every waking minute she could at Draco's side in the hospital wing. It was Christmas Eve by now and the only Christmas wish she had was for the boy to wake up. He was slowly getting better, Madame Pomfrey was doing all she could to get him back to full health, but still couldn't be sure until he had woken, well, that's all she told Hermione when she asked, which was very often.

"I wish I could go back and change it all." She bent down and whispered into his ear as she gently stroked his hair.  
"I think you need some fresh air dear, you've been here all day!" The old woman called to her as she saw to Draco.  
It was true; she had been sitting in the uncomfortable chair by his bed side all day, listening to the music that played around them while she held his limp hand. "But what if he wakes up?" She looked down at Draco with sorry eyes.  
"Then I'll tell him you've gone for a walk."  
She breathed in as she gave a nod, "I'll just go along the corridor, to the Astronomy tower." She said as she stood up and took her bag up from the floor and swung it over her shoulder.  
"He doesn't deserve you." The woman said as she watched Hermione give his forehead a kiss.  
"I don't deserve him." She caught a lump in her throat, she really didn't deserve him.

The nurse watched as the girl stuffed the music player into her satchel and walked out of the room, taking a small glance back at the boy as he lay so helpless on the bed. She didn't quite understand why Miss Granger seemed to be quite so smitten with Mr Draco Malfoy, if she was not mistaken, the two had never been any kind with each other, and Malfoy, when awake, in previous years was not at least the best patient she had ever had. Always moaning and complaining and being damn right rude. And Miss Granger was quite the opposite of that. But who was she to know? She sighed as she stepped back into her office, propping the door open behind her.

It was only a short walk to the tower. This place always brought back memories of Draco. When he had tried to kiss her, and then him apologising and them having a laugh up here alone, just the two of them being kids for a change. But the memories were shadowed by the pain both of them had been through. She wasn't right for him. Could she ever really make him happy? Sighing, she set down her bag and slumped herself on the floor, leaning against a post. They had only been together five minutes before she had called it off all because her friends thought he was no good. Maybe it was her that was no good. She would only ever cause him pain. That had shown this past month, she hadn't explained anything to him; the last thing she wanted was for him to get hurt again by her, he didn't deserve that. He didn't need her. He needed someone he could talk to, someone who would listen and comfort him, not someone who would run away at any sign of trouble because she was too afraid to get attached. She had to tell him, somehow, he needed to know that no matter how strong her feelings were for him, she would never be able to love him enough to make his past disappear, and make him forget all of his troubles.  
Quickly, she rummaged through her forgotten bag and pulled out a spare piece of parchment, a quill, and finally a small ink jar. Leaning on the ground, she scribbled neatly the word '_Draco_' at the top of the page, and then held the quill in the air for some time. She didn't know what to write. How could she tell him that she loved him, at the same time as telling him it wouldn't work? She didn't even care about herself, if she wanted it her way she would be with him right now in the Hospital Wing singing softly to him as he woke up in her arms. But it just couldn't be. They couldn't live happily ever after in a tiny cottage with two kids and a dog. It just wasn't possible. She would always be suspicious, and he would always have doubts.  
She wanted to protect him from her, from her hurting him again. This time last month she had been infatuated with Ron, that was until Draco had come along. Had he really meant what he had said? Had he really loved her all along? She shook her head to herself and slowly began to write, she just couldn't do it to him. It wasn't fair for him to get strung along and then hurt again by her. Who knows what could happen next, it could be a lot worse than a curse that is thrown upon him by her own doings.  
Everything he did he thought he was doing it to win her back, she could see that now. From messing with Ron and Harry's potion, to crashing Slughorn's party; he had just wanted to get her to see how much she meant to him. It seemed absurd to Hermione why any boy would want her, but Draco Malfoy clearly did. And she wanted him. She just didn't want him to shed any more tears because of her, she didn't want him to worry about her; she just wanted him to be happy. He had gone through that much sadness in his short life that he needed someone who could truly make him happy, and that wasn't her. She would never take away that pain and sorrow, only bring more to him. And that wasn't fair. He didn't need her, no matter how much he thought otherwise, he wasn't in love with her; there are plenty of other girls, he was sure to pick up another. She just wasn't the right one.

Hermione came out of her trance as she wrote the last word, she hadn't even been reading what she was writing, just letting her heart move the quill as she watched her tears splatter onto the paper. She didn't even read it through before she carefully folded it and packed up her belongings, and set off back to the Hospital Wing. As quickly and as silently as she could, Hermione slipped the paper into the boy's still hand, taking one last look at the lifeless boy as she wiped away another tear. Without a word, she left the note and the boy behind her, and got lost in her feelings as her feet led her out of the castle.

* * *

"Her...my..."  
Madame Pomfrey looked up from her notes as she heard a strange moaning coming from outside the office, setting her quill down and peering out the door, she listened to the struggled noises filling the room, "Her...my...oh...nee."  
Getting to her feet, the nurse marched up to Draco's bed and pulled back the curtain, to see the boy moving, and with struggled breaths tried to say something.  
"Mr Malfoy?" The old woman asked as she walked to his bedside and tried to keep him still.  
"Herm...i..oh..."His eyes were still tightly shut, his legs moving in protest as his arms were pinned to the side of the bed.  
"Mr Malfoy." She said a little louder, carefully shaking his arm in an attempt to wake him.  
Slowly, his eyes flickered open as he moved his head to try and look around, he gave a small gasp as he took in his surroundings.  
"How did I get here?" He asked the smiling nurse.  
"Why dear, you had a nasty curse thrown at you; you've been asleep for weeks!" She squeaked, still beaming down at him.  
"Hermione?" He gulped as he lay back down; it was the only thing he could think to say.  
"She has just gone for a little walk, she'll be back any minute no doubt."  
"She's been here?" He asked as he slowly looked towards the empty chair that sat at a wonky angle next to the bed, a brown coat lying over the edge.  
"Your only visitor Mr Malfoy." She scowled as she tried to get him to look at her so she could check him over.  
"Did she say anything?" He asked, still confused.  
"Not much. She's very worried about you, that's for sure." She answered as she pulled the blankets off him.  
"I've got to go and find her." He tried to swing himself off the bed, but the nurse was too quick for him and grabbed his legs.  
"Not before I've seen to you. You've been very ill Mr Malfoy."  
He allowed her to do more tests on him, "Are you sure she didn't say anything?" He asked again, still not sure why she had been to see him.  
"Quite sure." She said, getting quite fed up of the boys questions.  
"But why?" He said more to himself than her, "I thought she hated me?"  
"She didn't seem to twenty minutes ago."  
"How long as she been here?"  
"Every day since Monday, long past visiting times on most occasions."  
"And what day is it today?" He became suddenly aware of how much he had missed, he could feel some stubble forming on his usually smooth face, and his hair seemed a lot more greasy than usual.  
"Christmas Eve," she piped up, "you're just in time." She smiled as she stretched his legs up and down.

"Okay, you're done." Madam Pomfrey chimed after Draco had taken a last spoonful of a rather nasty tasting medicine.  
"Did she tell you where she went?"  
"The astronomy tower I believe." The woman smiled as she folded his blanket in her arms.  
"Thank you Miss," he said as he almost jumped out of bed and scooped up Hermione's coat, "really, thank you." He took her old hands in his and looked into her eyes, a smile on his face.  
Slightly blushing, she watched as the boy walked towards the door, then looked back at the small cubicle, "Mr Malfoy!" She called out to him; he spun around and looked at her questioningly, "you forgot this." She picked up a small piece of folded parchment that lay silently on the floor, having been knocked off as the boy got up.

Taking the small note in his hands, he walked out of the room as he carefully unfolded the tight package. Once out in the cool corridor, he recognised the handwriting as Hermione's and stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes scanned the words.

_Draco,_

I_'m so sorry for everything. I'm sorry for hurting you, and for letting you go. I'm sorry that I damaged you, and for letting your past getting in the way of you. I know now that you're not who you were, I'm sorry it's taken me so long for me to actually realise that._

_I listened to those who don't know you and I believed the bad things they said about you. I need to give up the feeling of what would happen if they ever knew that I'm in love with you. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, I love you._

_When I look at you I feel alive, I feel as though I could never be sad again. I don't deserve you, you've been through so much and I can't give you what you want. I don't want to hurt you again, I'm sorry._

_I wish I could say to you, that I'll always stay with you, but that's not me. You need someone willing to give their heart and soul to you. I know I'd only hurt you. I hope someday that we can find some way to understand. I'm only doing this for you. I don't really want to go, but deep in my heart I know this is the best thing to do._

_One day you'll find someone who will love you more than me. I'm not the one you need. It kills me inside, but I'll never be the one you need._

_I love you,  
Goodbye. _

His whole world seemed to stop as he read it over and over again. What did this mean? There were fresh tear stains on the paper, which were slowly disappearing into the already smudged ink. Without even thinking twice, he ran to the Astronomy Tower with great pain, utterly confused when he couldn't find anyone. His heart was racing as he jumped up the steps to look on the upper floor, but there wasn't even a shadow to be found. Taking a quick glance out to the field below, he saw a mass of brown hair wandering alone aimlessly in the cold air. He leapt down and ran into the corridor and down the stairs, his breathing becoming more rapid as he raced down the stairs, unable to see anything as he pushed passed students in the long corridors as he tried to reach the girl. He didn't even know what he was going to say when he finally laid eyes on her. All he knew was that he needed to tell her she was wrong. No matter how much she didn't think she was enough, that girl was exactly what he needed.

After what seemed like a very long time to Draco, he finally hit the freezing outdoors. His feet led his tired body as he ran down the frosty grass, searching for Hermione. Suddenly, he spotted her in the distance, looking out to the lake as she wrapped herself up in her own arms. His heart plummeting, he sped himself up and ran towards her, his chest heaving as the blood poured around his body.

* * *

The girl turned around sharply as she heard a scrunching of leaves coming from behind her, "Malfoy!" She cried, not being able to help but sound relieved as she laid eyes on him, he looked so well yet so sick and pale at the same time.  
"What's this?" He asked, tears still in his eyes as he held up the folded paper.  
Her heart completely sank as she looked from the note to Draco's sorry face, "I'm sorry." She blinked after a while, tears coming from her eyes as her face scrunched up.  
"No, I'm sorry. Don't you dare think you don't deserve me," He couldn't help but shout the words in protest as he sobbed, It's me who doesn't deserve you." He used his free hand to point from himself to her as he choked out the words, wishing she would understand.  
"I can't make you happy Draco." She shouted back.  
"But don't you see that you do!" He said, taking a small step towards her as a fleck of rain fell onto the parchment which he was still holding.  
"I'll never be good enough for you, you need more than me."  
"No one could ever be more perfect than you Hermione Granger."


	12. Chapter 12-I Surrender

"You know that's not true." She sobbed, trying to avoid eye contact with the boy. She didn't know what to feel, about an hour ago she had come to the conclusion that she would walk away from this mess, in the best interests of Draco, but seeing him now in front of her, so alive, made her want him even more.  
"No, I don't!" The words came out chocked as he took another step towards her, the rain pouring in drops around them.  
"Just leave me alone Draco." She said the words so softly but they stung like daggers piercing his heart.  
"I can't do that Hermione." He whispered, holding his hand out to touch her face.  
"Please," She cried, and took his hand away, "it's the only way."  
"It isn't!" He nearly screamed the words as she stepped back from him, what was she doing? Could this really be happening?  
"Just go, please." She breathed the words so airily that it was hard to hear them.  
Draco looked deep into her eyes, he could see it, somewhere deep down, she was so hurt and yet so confident at the same time. Was she really aware of what she was doing? He didn't understand at all, but somehow, he knew that him trying to cling onto her would only make her more torn, and he couldn't do that to her. With a deep breath, he turned away and started to walk in the other direction.  
His heart had disappeared, his body numb as the rain came down harder. He couldn't just leave her there, all alone and hopeless, with everything unfinished. He needed to fight this battle, no matter how badly she wanted to win; this was a match he wasn't prepared to lose.

"Whatever it takes, I'll find a way!" He spun round, he face scrunched up as he looked at the girl who was still in watching him, frozen to the spot as tears came down her precious face.  
"I'll only hurt you again!" She sobbed, wishing with all her mite that that wasn't true.  
"I want to hold you in my arms and never let you go." Draco cried, his voice pleading with her.  
She ran into him, surrendering her feelings as she used all the strength she had to grab onto him, clutching her fingers into her back, trying to be as close to him as possible. She couldn't do it; she couldn't stand there and watch him walk away when she still had so much more to say.

They stood together for some time, the rain beating down hard on them as it splashed onto the ground around them, slowly sinking into their skin as it got harder.  
"I'm so sorry." She said, breathing into his shoulder.  
"I felt so lost without you." He told her, tears growing again in his eyes as he held her by the elbows and took her out of the embrace.  
"Although there seems times when I'm far away, never wonder where I am, because I am always by your side." She pressed her hand on his heart, feeling it beat through his drenched t-shirt.  
"You'll never leave me again?" He questioned, taking a sharp intake of breath as he searched her eyes.  
"I promise." She cried, feeling awful at how badly she had treated him. She could see now how much he wanted her, he wouldn't give up despite her protests, and she was only hurting him more by leaving him now. He looked so cut up, the rain adding to his tear stained face as he looked hopelessly into her eyes.

"I love you. Please say you love me too." She bawled, searching his eyes for an answer to the question that had been playing on her mind.  
"Oh Hermione, I've never stopped," He grabbed her by the waist and spun her around in his arms. "These three words, they could change our lives forever. I promise you we will always, always be together." He stroked his thumb against her wet cheek.  
"Till the end of time?" She asked through muffled sobs as Draco caressed her gentle lips.  
"Till the end of time," He confirmed and brought his lips to hers, their wet mouths conjoining as their jaws locked as they kissed passionately.  
"Hush now." he soothed he sobbing, as he gently pushed her soaking head onto his shoulder as they stood, weeping together as the rain poured over them. The rain washed away this tears, washing away their fears as they stood, wrapped in each other's arms.

* * *

A.N: Yes, this is very short...sorry! Let me know if you would like another chapter and thankyou very much for sticking with me:D


	13. Chapter 13-You and I

A.N: Yes, this story is very cheesy I know, but hey, it worked? I hope..  
I'm not sure if this will be the last chapter, depends what you guys want/think.  
Basically, the chapter names might not have anything to do with the story, but it's the name of the title of the song (by Celine Dion) which kind of inspired me for that chapter, just in case anyone was wondering.  
Again, thankyou for reading and please review and give me your thoughts!

* * *

"It's a nice day," Draco smiled up to the misty sun as he and Hermione travelled down to the lake. The weather was cold yet sunny, only a slight breeze disrupting their temperature as they walked hand in hand down the grassy field. It was early February now and the new term was in full swing, the New Year had been spent with Draco and Hermione sitting alone in a small chamber by the Ravenclaw Tower; their perfect evening, eating and drinking smuggled food while wrapped in each other's arms, talking about this and that. "Tell me if you get cold though, and we can go back inside." He told the girl, looking at her with concern.  
"I will." She smiled and pushed herself a little closer to him, stroking his arm with hers.  
They sat down simultaneously at the edge of the bank, Draco leaning against a tree while the girl slid herself down so she was lying below him, her head resting on his crossed legs as she brought her own legs up to her chest.  
Her friends had come to accept that the two were a strong couple. They had been inseparable for just over a month now and both seemed fully in awe of each other. The story of their relationship seemed to confuse almost everyone that found out, but not as much as either Hermione or Draco, they just couldn't understand how rocky their road had been, and how much they had actually overcome, it just seemed so surreal. But they had got through it.

"Love comes to those who believe it." Hermione smiled, moving her neck back so she was looking at him.  
"You've been listening to my album?" He asked, peering down at her.  
She smiled with a sly wink, "Maybe."  
"_Through the darkness and good times, I knew I'd make it through, and the world thought I had it all, but I was waiting for you."_ He sung, looking into her eyes and removing a strand of hair from her face, "_I can't believe I've been touched by an angel_." He smirked, as he saw her mouth open in amusement.  
"Angel? Am I that perfect?" She said, fluttering her eyelashes at him.  
"In every way." He moved his back down so he was leaning over her more, and gently brought his lips to hers, they were both still smiling under the embrace, which caused them to give a sort of snort at the touch. They broke away and laughed harder, "she's a witch yanno, Céline Dion." he said with a smile, proud of himself knowing something she didn't.  
"I didn't think you would listen to muggle music."  
"Oh no, mother brought me up with her, always singing and playing the songs around the Manor."  
"She has got a beautiful voice." Hermione stated, sinking herself further into Draco's chest as he moved his legs to get himself more comfortable.  
"Mmm." He nodded in agreement, gently stroking her head as he lent back against the bark.  
"You've got a good voice." She said, tracing her finger across his jaw line.  
"Nah."  
"You have. Trust me." She poked his lips, making him smile.  
"Well, thankyou. Mother will be pleased,"  
She looked away from his shining eyes and smiled into space, not even thinking about anything, but allowing her mind to travel as she heard her boyfriend whisper the words, "_you were my strength when I was weak, you were my voice when I couldn't speak, you were my eyes when I couldn't see, you saw the best there was in me._", singing gently as he continued to stroke her cheek from above her.  
"That's one thing I love about you." She said suddenly, bringing her eyes back up to him.  
"What?" He asked, looking down at her, he couldn't help but get a buzz in his stomach every time he looked at her, she was just so perfect.  
"You always find a way to say how you feel, I mean, some people don't tell anyone anything, but you show your true feelings in different ways..." She trailed off, watching as his expression changed to one which was slightly confused, "it doesn't matter." She shrugged.  
"No, no, I get you." the boy nodded, slightly understanding what she was saying.  
The two sat in silence for a while, Hermione lifting her head slightly to see the Giant Squid roll over in the water, it's enormous tentacles causing waves to ripple onto the bank, just scraping their ankles.

"Have you heard from your mother?" The girl asked, lifting herself off from his chest and shifting herself to sit by his side as he crossed his own legs again.  
"Not after she found out about you." He laughed, placing the back of his hand on Hermione's pale check.  
"I'm sorry." She frowned slightly, her heart melting at the thought of her breaking the relationship he had with him mother, however week.  
"You don't have to be sorry for anything," he lightly stroked her skin with his thumb as he said the words; "I'm just sorry she'll never get to meet you." He smiled.  
"Maybe one day she will accept it." The girl hoped, a small smile in her lips.  
"I hope so." He pulled himself in for another kiss, the two lightly brushing lips.

"I love you Draco Malfoy." She said as the two pulled apart.  
Draco saw her chocolate eyes flickering with passion as the feeling soared through her, he knew she meant it, "And I love you, Hermione Granger." He stated, his hand still lightly stroking her cheek.  
"Do you believe in fate?" The girl asked, removing her gaze to look out onto the landscape once more.  
"What?" He asked, gently pushing her head onto his shoulder.  
Hermione brought her hand around his waist while he held her shoulder, keeping her next to him.  
"You know, like everything happening for a reason?"  
"What like Divination?" He smirked, a fake laugh escaping him lips, "That's a load of rubbish if you ask me."  
"Tell me about it. I ended up dropping it in second yea-"  
"I heard about that! You stormed out or something! Apparently you stood up to old Trelawney." Draco interrupted, laughing at the image of Hermione, not only being rude to a teacher, but actually storming out of class."  
"Yeah, well…" The girl trailed off, blushing slightly, "But I mean fate, like do you think we were brought together?" She asked seriously, still watching the clouds drift in the sky across the water.  
"Again…what?" He questioned, his eyebrow cocked as he looked down at her.  
"Oh honestly," she sulked slightly, wishing Draco would have understood, "I mean do you think you and I were always meant to be together? Like we were meant to find each other?"  
"I hardly doubt that Granger, you hated me only last year!" He gave a slight laugh, stroking her shoulder gently as her head moved up and down on his shoulder with his every breath.

"Yes, well, things change…" she trailed off again, feeling bad about how harsh she had been towards him, when deep down he was so genuine, so hurt.  
"But I've never hated you." He soothed, bringing his hand to her head and slowly massaging her temple with his thumb.  
"I doubt that." She answered with a smile at the thought as she closed her eyes and allowed the touch of Draco to consume her while his voice washed over her.  
"It's true." He said with a slight shrug, bringing his head forwards slightly so he could meet her gaze.  
"What?" she asked, straightening herself back up so she could look properly at him.  
"I've always liked you. I've never been able to stop you running around in my mind." He said sincerely, a slight edge to his usual calm tone.  
"Really?" She asked, sounding somewhat hopeful if not completely surprised.  
"Yeah, I mean, what's not to like." He laughed off, part of him wishing he hadn't confessed to his revelation.  
"Since when?" Hermione asked, taking in his expression of slight embarrassment and brushing off his obvious compliment used to change the subject.  
"Well, I only really figured it out when we started talking," He mumbled, avoiding her staring eyes, "I don't know how I didn't realise it before, how I've never really found you stupid or bossy and I'm sorry I jinxed your teeth and I'm sorry I skitted you an-" His drabble was cut off by Hermione's lips sealing his into a kiss. He didn't know what to do, she had caught him so off guard that he was still mouthing the rest of his sentence under the touch until he lost himself in the feeling of the rest of the world closing around them. It was just the two of them, bonded in a kiss as their lips pressed over each other, his hand in her soft hair as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down. He managed to stop himself from falling into her by pressing his arms into the frosty grass and pushing himself up as Hermione continued to kiss him from underneath him, her hand rubbing in his smooth hair as the intensity of the kiss deepened and she pulled him closer to her. He let his arms slip under him and pressed his full weight onto the girl, who automatically rolled him over and lay on top of him, her legs spread either side of his as she finally released her mouth to breathe, but Draco brought his lips back to hers just as quickly, not wanting to break the sweet contact for even a moment as he breathed in her memorable scent of Strawberry and Wildflower mixed with Honeysuckle. His body collapsed from under her as the aroma filled his nostrils and climbed around his whole body, his fingers going numb as they tangled with her hair.  
The wind batted around them as they held their touch, transfixed in the moment; not even moving from each other's grasp as the cold water silently hit the top of their heads, or as an owl hooted above them in a tree, causing dusty leaves to fall calmly to the ground as the sky grew steadily darker as the clouds moved on their own, the world around them living on.


End file.
